Police in Ogun State on Friday arrested and detained the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Oludare Kadiri, for allegedly leading suspected hoodlums to invade residence of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tokunbo Talabi, in Oru-Ijebu, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Kadiri, otherwise known as Maba, is currently being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
Our correspondent earlier reported last week that there was tension in Ijebu North LG, following the alleged invasion of the SSG’s residences in Oru-Ijebu and that of a former state legislator, Hon. Adegbesan, by suspected thugs loyal Kadiri.
It was reported that the invasion connected with the hoarding of registration materials for the ongoing APC registration and revalidation exercise.
Though the deputy speaker had since denied the allegation, which he said was orchestrated to tarnish his political image, he was nevertheless arrested on Friday.
Speaking through his aide, on Friday evening, Kadiri fingered the SSG as the brain behind his arrest.
He also accused him of clandestinely orchestrating his impeachment as the deputy speaker of the OGHA.
Kadiri said since the appointment of Talabi as the SSG by Governor Dapo Abiodun, he has been at loggerhead with him, particularly on matters that have to do with politics in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state.
He explained that his arrest and detention on Friday, followed a complaint lodged by loyalists of the SSG that he led some hoodlums to the residences of the SSG, Mrs. Toun Oduwole, and one Adekunle Yinusa, to vandalise their houses over the on going registration and revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the LG.
According to him, he had gone to revalidate his membership of the ruling party at his constituency on Friday,19th February, at his poling booth at Aba-Panu Ward 11, in company of his police orderly and DSS attache, around 4p.m and returned home after the exercise around 7p.m.
Kadiri stated further that he was hanging out with his supporters at a popular tavern in Ago Iwoye, when one of the APC leaders in his ward and former councilor, Hon. Obagun informed him that his (Obagun) house had been surrounded by the police.
“I asked Obagun to call his wife and tell her not to open the door until it could be ascertained that they were truly policemen. I also told Obagun to call the DPO of Awa Police station immediately to confirm if truly they were policemen. The wife later called us on phone that they had broken the front door to gain entrance and that the DPO was with them.
“The man, myself and my DSS attache went to the house where we met the DPO. I asked him what they were looking for and he said the were looking for APC registration materials reportedly stored in the house. And when I asked for his search warrant, he could not produce any. I was still there when I was alerted that some people had besieged the residence of the SSG. I personally went there to persuade the crowd not to invade the residence and exercise caution. So, why would anyone accuse me of something I never did?
“The matter is simple. The SSG is just calling a dog a bad name in order to hang him. He has been out to paint me black in Ijebu North because of politics. I have nothing to do with any invasion; I was even instrumental to how the crowd beat retreat that day”. Kadiri stated.
He, however, said his findings revealed that the crowd was searching for COVID-19 palliatives believed to be kept in the SSG’s compound.
“My findings later showed that the invaders, so to say, were looking for palliatives stored in the SSG’s house. The SSG, in December, still distributed the palliatives among his loyalists, hence, people of Ijebu North believed the palliatives are still there.
“Apart from that, the SSG is on my jugular because of my insistence that the N10m Christmas largesse by the governor, in his possession, should be shared in the local government, as instructed by the governor. So, Talabi is behind my ordeal,” Kadiri submitted.
