…call for urgent intervention of IGP
By Gloria Ikibah
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Bamidele Salam, has condemned the harassment, unlawful detention and public humiliation of a local government employee in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, describing the alleged involvement of the Nigeria Police Force as disgraceful and unconstitutional.
The lawmaker, who represents Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency of OsunState, reacted to a viral video and photographs circulating online that showed the treatment of the council worker.
He said the incident reflected a troubling abuse of power and a serious breakdown of the rule of law at the local government level.
Rep. Salam accused certain political actors of using security personnel to intimidate and oppress council staff, warning that such actions undermine democratic governance and the proper administration of local councils in Osun State.
Following his own inquiries into the incident, the federal lawmaker called for urgent intervention by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
He urged the immediate withdrawal of police officers from what he described as unlawful and improper duties within local government secretariats across the state, insisting that security agencies must act strictly within the bounds of the Constitution.
Salam said: “I just watched a viral video and many photographs of Mr. Taiwo Adebayo, a local government worker in Egbedore Local Government of Osun State being humiliated by some politicians in the presence of the Divisional police officer of the local government, Mrs. Tawakalitu Ogunniyi and some of her personnel.
“I have made findings on the facts of the matter and confirmed that Mr Adebayo, an Admin staff of the Local Government was on lawful duty upon a directives by the NULGE for resumption of work after an 11 month strike
“Mr Adebayo was in possession of files relating to the retirement process of some local government staff who would soon be exiting service and needed to process their papers for payment of necessary benefits.
“Mr Adebayo acted with the instructions of his superior and was not in any way on an illegal assignment
“The politician who was seen in the video supervising the false detention interrogation and humiliation of the local government staff, is Mr Issa Akinwale, a man who had been sacked from the office of the Chairman of the local government by a judgement of the Federal High Court and the court of Appeal but who has like his other colleagues being occupying the council secretariat with active connivance of the police force.
“The dehumanising treatment of citizen Adebayo by the politician in the presence of law enforcement agents supervised by the Divisional Police officer in Egbedore Local Government of Osun State is despicable, condemnable and outrightly unconstitutional.
“I call for the immediate release of the staff as well the offering of due apologies to him by the Nigeria police force.
“I also call for an immediate cessation of the ongoing illegal, unlawful capture of local government administration in Osun state by politicians from the All Progressive Congress (APC) who are being backed in the usurpation of power and contempt of court by the Nigeria Police Force.
“I call on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to uphold the rule of law by withdrawing his men from their current illegal duties in the local government secretariats of Osun State,” the lawmaker added.
Salam cautioned that the persistent involvement of the police in partisan politics at the local government level represents a grave danger to democratic governance, the authority of the courts and the fundamental rights of citizens.
He emphasised that security agencies are duty-bound to act impartially and to respect and enforce court rulings, rather than enabling actions that undermine them.
The lawmaker recalled that both the Federal High Court in Osogbo and the Court of Appeal in Akure had, in separate judgements, nullified the elections of council chairmen voted into office in October 2022, after finding that the polls breached clear provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He further noted that the Court of Appeal subsequently upheld the election of new council chairmen following polls conducted on 22 February 2025, adding that the enforcement of these judgements has been obstructed by the Nigeria Police Force.