The Oyo state chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the arrest of a former deputy governor of the state and a chieftain of the party, Ambassador Taofeeq Arapaja.
Arapaja was reportedly arrested yesterday night by officers of the Nigerian Police Force at his residence in Ibadan, the state capital.
Oyo ADC in a release by the Publicity secretary, Adedapo Ademola sent to insideOyo.com accused the Nigerian police of acting the script of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement reads:
ARAPAJA’S ARREST: NOW THE POLICE HAS SHOWN ITS BIAS
The Oyo State Chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with utmost concern, wishes to notify the general public of the arrest, and subsequent detention of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, former Oyo State deputy governor, and envoy to Jordan, following the unfortunate killing of Monsuru Rasaq, of Lako Compound, Ward 2 Unit 14, Kudeti Area of Ibadan Southeast Local Government Area, on Saturday, 23 February, 2019, as well as express grave disappointment with the police’s open display of bias in its handling of the matter.
This concern is necessary because police’s attempt to spin the case on its head, and dress the victim in the garb of the culprit, is akin to sidestepping leprosy, to treat dandruff.
We wonder how Ambassador Arapaja, a beloved son of that same compound; whose party was even leading as at the time of results collation, would be the same behind the killing as the police wants us to believe. To what end, we’re condemned to ask?
For the avoidance of doubt, the incident, which can rightly be described as an assassination attempt on Arapaja, at least, by eyewitness accounts, began when several masked and unmasked hoodlums hit the compound, shooting sporadically, and specifically asking; “where is Arapaja?”, before firing shots at his direction.
Ambassador Arapaja had to remove his trademark Abetiaja cap, duck into the ground, and then escape through several homesteads adjoining the scene.
Reports in the media also had it that the hoodlums not only disrupted collation, but also snatched several ballot boxes. It was in the heat of that assassination attempt on Arapaja that the young fellow was hit.
The police, knowing this fact, (and if not), possessing the requisite training and professional capacity to obtain same, cannot now turn around to pin the incident on Arapaja.
Though we suspected the police to be acting the script of the ruling Oyo APC, especially when AIG Leye Oyebade on Channels TV, when visiting the bereaved family, was quoted to have said, “the police would fish out the killers, and the perpetrators, no matter how highly placed, would be brought to justice,” and since Arapaja was the only “highly placed” at the scene, at least according to police’s warped thinking, the killing should be pinned on him, much more since he belongs to the opposition, we never knew it would act out that well rehearsed script hastily.
Even without prior investigations (at least AIG Oyebade visited the bereaved family Sunday night), if such a highly placed officer can seemingly conclude with dispatch, then the police’s bias isn’t far fetched.
While we know that the Oyo APC, in its morbid desire to castrate the opposition, especially now that all is set to oust it through concerted efforts, is leaving no stone unturned in robing strong opposition members in crimes the party itself deliberately orchestrates, we do not know it will continue in this mischievous route, already employed in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government, where ADC leaders, themselves victims of assault by the APC; who had willingly gone to report to the police, were the ones arrested and transferred to Ibadan, staying several nights in detention, before their eventual release.
The question to ask the police, and indeed, security agencies on duty last Saturday, is how the masked killers gained entrance and exit, without challenge, despite their heavily mounted presence on Mapo, Ojaaba and Molete road?
As we commiserate with the family of the deceased, praying Allah to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, we equally call on the Inspector General, Mr Mohammed Adamu, to effect the immediate release of Arapaja, and to order diligent investigation into the unfortunate killing of that promising teenage school leaver, cut short in his prime by agents of darkness.
Only equity, fairness and justice develops a society, demonstrated bias as openly advertised by the police doesn’t.
SIGNED
Adedapo Ademola
State Publicity Secretary
