A United Kingdom-based businessman, Mr. Blessing Akinleminu, has raised the alarm over plans by the Ondo State Police Command and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, to sweep the case of his alleged attack by some political thugs under the carpet.
Akinleminu, who said he was attacked a few days before the last governorship election in the state by political hoodlums in Idanre community, in Idanre Local Government Area of the state, on 12 November, alleged that the police had been treating the case with kid gloves.
According to him, some hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked him and shot him in the stomach. He said that despite reporting the incident to the police, they had failed to conduct an investigation into the matter.
He maintained that none of the attackers had been arrested since then, alleging that both the offices of the state Commissioner of Police and the AIG have been treating the case with kid gloves.
In a statement made available to our correspondent by Akinleminu’s lawyer, Mr. John Olowookere, it was alleged that the attackers had been identified while a petition had been written to the office of the AIG. However, the petition was allegedly suppressed and left unattended.
The statement read: “It is our brief also that on or about the 12th day of November 2024, our client (Blessing) was at a place in Idanre, his hometown, with some of his friends together with the two police officers officially assigned to him for his security protection, when all of a sudden, some armed men (some were masked) invaded the place and attacked our client with gunshots. His friends were badly injured, while the police officers were practically helpless in the circumstances, as the attack was sudden and calculated to eliminate our client.
“Upon the gunshot received by our client on the side of his stomach from the assailants, our client was rushed to the University of Medical Sciences Specialist Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, where he received medical treatment. He was admitted at the hospital before being moved by his family to another hospital in Akure for intensive medical attention to save his life.
“It is further briefed that the ugly incident of the attack was reported first at Alade Police Station and later at Idanre Divisional Police Station, but both stations treated it with kid gloves, which prompted our client to retain the services of a legal practitioner to submit a formal petition to the AIG for discreet police investigation.
“The lawyer submitted the petition dated 14 November 2024, and it was approved for necessary investigation.
“However, to the consternation of our client, investigation into the aforementioned petition was deliberately suppressed by the police at the AIG’s office without any valid reason for why the incident was not investigated, even though the petition had been approved for discreet police investigation.
“This unhealthy and sad development frustrated our client to return to his base in the United Kingdom, against his initial intention to stay for a while in the country.”
The legal practitioner called on the government and other stakeholders to assist his client in getting justice, claiming that the alleged perpetrators were still moving around the town untouched.
“Our client is crying to high heaven, calling on the government and well-meaning members of society to rise to the occasion and defend the cause of our client against the suspects, who are now boastfully moving around Idanre town, claiming they are untouchable and that they are the reason why the case was not investigated to date.
“It is on this note that we are calling on all relevant stakeholders to come to the aid of our client before it is too late. This is the highest demand for justice that we have ever made.”
While reacting, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Funmi Odunlami, denied the allegation, saying the command was properly handling the case when the complainant requested the AIG to handle it.
She said: “The investigation was ongoing when he (Blessing) said he wanted his case to be handled by Zone 17 (AIG), not that the case was not handled properly,” the PPRO explained.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Zone 17, Mr. Akeem Adeola, said he was not aware of the complainant’s petition but would find out.
“It is not possible for the zone to get the petition and not act on it. I will find out when I get to the office tomorrow (Friday),” Adeola said.
