IG warns politicians against harbouring suspected criminals

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has said that from the briefing available to him, political parties in Osun State are harbouring suspected criminals.

Disu stated this in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, during a visit to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The IG also said the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, told him that some wanted criminals were kept in the Government House, adding that he had instructed the CP on how to navigate the situation.

But Governor Adeleke, while responding to the issues raised by the IGP, urged the police to arrest anyone perpetrating crime, regardless of the status of the individual.

The police boss who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Special Protection Unit, Femi Haruna, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone XI, Osogbo, Akinyele Fasuba, and the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, also promised that the Force would continue to work hard to ensure safety of lives and property of the residents.

“If I tell you, sir, that I have not had complaints, I have lied, and I will explain everything to you one by one, sir. I have heard that you are not happy, and some people are not happy with the Commissioner of Police for this reason and that reason.

“He, too, has briefed me. He briefed me that some suspects he is looking for are in the Government House. I looked at that. If that is true, why should suspects be in the Government House? But I have told him, as a police officer in charge, he has a way of going about all these. I have heard that this party and that party are harbouring suspect criminals,” Disu said.

Responding, Adeleke, who warned against reign of anarchy in the state, demanded probe into violent crimes in the state.

Adeleke further said, “If you see any of my people that committed a crime, arrest them. If it is my son who committed a crime, arrest him; let him learn his lesson, and that is what I am saying in front of the IG.

“But for you to be playing all these games and everything like that, the person that they killed, a 14-year-old boy in Ilobu, because the police officer did a good job under the directive of the Inspector General of Police and arrested the suspect that killed the boy, you transfer the officer.”

He lauded the IG for visiting the state, saying the police boss open declaration that crime would not be tolerated was commendable

“I am glad the Inspector General of Police is here today, and he has said it openly that he will not tolerate any act of indiscipline, and he has given you a warning that you will not tolerate crime. That is why I am happy.

“If you change tomorrow, I will continue to cooperate with the police. Police are our friend. We are not fighting the police, but you have to do right,” Adeleke said.

Speaking at the State Police Command after listening to allegations and counter-allegations by the representatives of the political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress and the Accord Party, Disu, pledged that the complaints would be critically investigated.

He also warned against the use of unregistered vehicles, saying such should be impounded by the police.

“I have listened to all the comments. We took note of the people mentioned, the suspect mentioned, we took note of Amotekun, and we took note of the uniform they were said to be putting on.

“A lot of all these have been taken into consideration. We have taken note; the CP is here, and then we will look into it. This is not the usual language of looking into it. We will sincerely look into it,” the IGP said.

Earlier, the representative of APC at the meeting, Mr Bayo Adeleke, accused the state government of using Amotekun to perpetrate crimes.

The APC chieftain also accused Adeleke of harboring hoodlums in the Government House and demanded thorough probe of all cases of attacks on the members of the party.

Reacting, the representative of the Accord Party, Bamidele Salam, warned against selective application of law to fight crime, saying the party had lost many members to attack from APC, while the police allegedly refused to act.