The Kwara State Police Command and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state have reacted to the arrest and release of Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq’s Special Assistant on Rural Mobilization, Comrade Musibau Esinrogunjo, in Ilorin over alleged traffic offences.
A video clip making the rounds on some social media platforms had depicted a scene of a man later identified as Esinrogunjo, being interrogated by a group of people over the recovery of some substance suspected to be Indian hemp and a cartridge wrapped in paper.
He was also seen being slapped by an unidentified person.
According to the spokesman of the state police command, Mr Okasanmi Ajayi, on Sunday, “the video in question was posted by a mischievous individual to achieve a result still unknown to the Command.”
Explaining what actually transpired on the day, Okasanmi said, “the man in the video later identified to be one Musibau Esinrogunjo was caught committing a traffic offence by driving against traffic, thereby causing a serious traffic hold-up at NYSC Secretariat junction, Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin, the state capital.
“The traffic warden on duty who arrested him for the offence was dealt a slap by Mr Esinrogunjo and his aide, which drew the anger of passersby around the vicinity.
“They attempted to physically assault him but for the prompt arrival of police officers that rescued and took the parties to the police Headquarters, the closest police Formation to the scene.
“A search conducted in the vehicle of Mr Esinrogunjo resulted in the recovery of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp and an item that looked like a cartridge wrapped with charm.
“The incident was looked into by a very senior police officer in the command, Esinrogunjo was later identified to be special Assistant to the state governor. He was warned to desist from such behavior in future.
“The traffic warden assaulted by the Esinrogunjo was pacified and asked to go back to his duty post while Esinrogunjo was also released.”
He said at no time was the suspect arrested for being in possession of weeds or bullet. It was a case of driving against the traffic and physically assaulting a policeman that brought him to the police headquarters.
The physical assault on Esinrogunjo was from aggrieved passersby that followed the parties to the police headquarters and the men were arrested, reprimanded and equally released.
He insisted that the Command has nothing to do with the video in circulation, adding that, Esinrogunjo was arrested for traffic offence and assault which had been satisfactorily delt with.
However, the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in its reaction, on Sunday, called for the prosecution of the governor’s aide and demanded that the matter must not be swept under the carpet.
A statement by the state Chairman of the party, Babatunde Mohammed, in Ilorin, said ” the attention of our party has been drawn to the viral video showing some police officers questioning and beating the Special Assistant to Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state, Comrade Musibau Esinrogunjo, over possession of live bullets and illegal substances suspected to be marijuana.
” The statement by the Kwara state police command on the incident, is a smokescreen to hide the truth from the public. This is an attempt by the police to cover Esinrogunjo and shield him from prosecution, it is uncalled for and should be condemned.
” We are hereby calling on the police authorities to order proper prosecution of the governor’s aide. He must also be prosecuted for other infractions he has allegedly committed like breaking traffic rules and physical assault on a traffic warden.” Continue Reading
