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Osun State Government warns police against political pressure in banditry suspect case
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Osun State Government has cautioned the state police command against succumbing to alleged political pressure regarding a suspected bandit linked to the Lameco area. The government warned against attempts to secure the suspect's release on unsubstantiated psychiatric grounds. This reaction follows allegations by the Public Safety Accountability Group, a civil society organization, which accused high-profile members of the All Progressives Congress APC in the state of pressuring the police for the suspect's release on medical grounds. The group claimed that certain APC chieftains had visited police stations and sent emissaries to facilitate the release, viewing this as an attempt to undermine efforts to dismantle a criminal gang. The police had previously confirmed the suspect was undergoing psychiatric evaluation, stating an herbalist had reportedly treated him for mental illness for 10 years, but did not address the alleged involvement of APC leaders. The Osun State Government, through a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, on X, urged the police to remain vigilant against actions that could undermine public confidence and questioned the medical report, the herbalist's identity, and the alleged visits by APC chieftains. The government also questioned the timing of the police's response and warned against the politicization of a sensitive security matter, calling on the Inspector-General of Police and other se
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