An Ogun State indigene, Ojo Emmanuel, was on Saturday evening arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force on the order of the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun.
The alleged crime committed by the 30 year-old Ojo was that he made a Facebook post critical of the Governor’s wife, Olufunsho.
DAILY POST was informed on Sunday that the graduate of Business Administration from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) was arrested at Ibara in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Amosun’s Chief Security Officer led some security operatives to arrest Ojo, who was detained at Ibara police station, few meters away from the Government House.
While there, our source said the Police asked Ojo to write a statement dictated to him.
But the Yewa native remained adamant, saying he would do no such thing.
Angered by his refusal, police officers severely beat Emmanuel leaving him with injuries.
Emmanuel managed to pass out his ordeal to an individual, who quickly contacted relatives.
All attempts to get his pregnant wife have access to him has proved abortive.
As at 9:40pm on Sunday, it was learnt that Emmanuel has been transferred to the Eleweran prison.
As at the time of filing this report, no one has been granted access to him, including his lawyer.
Muyiwa Adejobi, Police Public Relations Officer of Ogun State Command, did not pick calls put across by our correspondent as at 9 am on Monday, neither did he respond to a text message enquiry.
Meanwhile, the Campaign Organisation of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka and the Centre for Media Rights Advocates (CMRA) have condemned the arrest.
Isiaka, who spoke through the Director of Publicity of the organisation, Comrade Ifekayode Akinbode, said Ojo was arrested for a story exposing the alleged quizzing of Mrs Olufunso Amosun, in London, for money laundering.
In the story, Mrs Amsoun, who has since denied the story, was alleged of being detained by London police for being in possession of USD300, 000.
Akinbode said that since the day the story was found on Ojo’s Facebook walls, he had been haunted by Amosun thugs, who were working in conjunction with police attached to the Government House.
He said, “It is unbecoming of Amosun, who has been intolerant of opposition and critics to go after Ojo and frustrate all efforts to secure his bail, since Saturday.
“We know Ojo as a critic of the profligacy and bad governance going on in Ogun State, and it is sad to note that Amsoun would think nobody will criticize and make public his various lies.
“If Ojo’s Facebook was hacked and the story of how Amsoun’s wife was arrested for money laundering in London was pasted there and the government has denied it, why must Amosun’s CSO still go after Ojo, harass his wife and got him arrested.
“The attempt is to silence his critics and send fears to journalists in the state to stop reporting anti-Amosun stories. But he has failed! Nobody in Ogun State needed to be told the story of inflated projects that have increased the state debt profile to over N200 billion.
“It is a common knowledge in Nigeria that Amosun is among the richest governors in Nigeria that refused to make public his asset declaration despite the fact that his self-acclaimed mentor, President Muhammadu Buhari, has declared his assets.
“It is a common knowledge that Amsoun is building the best personal house in Ogun State that costs over N7 billion at Ibara Housing Estate, in Abeokuta, and we know his salary since he became governor in 2011.
“It is also laughable that Amosun who blackmailed his predecessor in office, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, to the extent of using photoshop to superimpose Daniel’s head on Nollywood actor’s body, to give false impression could go ahead to arrest a blogger over a story planted to implicate him.
“But we want to assure Amosun that instead of being cowed, this is just the beginning of exposing many under-hand dealings many did not know about his government,” Akinbode said.
Also reacting, CMRA demanded the immediate release of Ojo and warned the police that they would be held responsible if anything happens to Ojo.
Its Executive Director, Dr. Bidemi Adegbite, condemned the Gestapo approach of Amosun’s CSO in arresting Ojo, who the police should have invited for questioning.
CMRA warned the police against being used by the politicians to infringe on the rights of Nigerians.
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