Adeleke’s Aide Faked Kidnap to Blame Tinubu, Presidency – APC

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called for a police investigation into the reported abduction of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s Special Assistant, Shakiru Babatunde.

APC further alleged that the incident was staged to implicate the opposition and create political tension in the state.

The party made the allegation in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, who urged the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that the case was not swept under the carpet.

According to the APC, Babatunde’s purported abduction was initially announced by some state government officials on their social media platforms, with allegations that the opposition party was responsible.

The party, however, claimed that the incident took a different turn when police officers attached to the Dugbe Divisional Police Station in Osogbo allegedly found Babatunde and arrested him at a hideout.

The APC claimed that the aide subsequently confessed to staging the incident.

The party alleged that the development was intended to portray the APC as responsible for insecurity in the state and create the impression that the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu had failed to tackle criminality.

“It is a criminal offence for anyone to fake his or her kidnapping. The offender upon conviction is liable to 10-20 years imprisonment,” the party said.

The APC also alleged that some officials of the state government had been attempting to prevent the matter from receiving public attention following the reported arrest.

“It is unfortunate that this is a grave offence some officials of the state government in collusion with pliable security agents want to sweep under the carpet,” Olabisi said.

The party urged the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to give the case particular attention and ensure that those responsible were investigated and prosecuted where necessary.

“We are appealing to the state Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ibrahim D. Zungura, to pay a particular attention to this case to serve as a deterrent to future criminal act,” the statement said.

The APC did not provide independent evidence in the statement to substantiate its allegations that the reported incident was politically motivated or that state government officials were attempting to suppress the investigation.