Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has advised the Ogun State Command of the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the Ijebu East Local Government Chairman, Wale Adedayo.
In the alternative, Femi Falana advised the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun to sue Adedayo for libel in the State High Court for allegedly accusing him of financial impropriety as it relates to local government fund.
Falana, in a statement issued on Sunday, September 3, recalled that Adedayo had last week accused Abiodun of diverting the statutory allocations of the 20 local governments in the State.
He said: “Shortly thereafter, the Council boss was invited by the Ogun State Command of the State Security Service (DSS). However, when he turned up for the invitation on September 1, 2023, he was asked to respond to the petition submitted to the Command by the State Government.
Petition
“In the said petition, it was alleged that Mr. Adedayo had instigated widespread acts of public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East Local Government.
“Even though the embattled Council boss denied the allegation of instigating acts of public disturbance, the State Security Service has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun
“Even though the Ogun State Government has denied the allegation of funds diversion, Governor Abiodun is advised to sue Mr. Wale Adedayo for libel in the Ogun State High Court.”
Falana recalled that two of Governor Abiodun predecessors, the late Governor Olabisi Onabanjo, in similar circumstances, had sued the National Concord newspaper for libel in the Ogun State High Court in 1981 while Governor Segun Osoba sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in the Ogun State High Court in 2001.
He said both Governors won the libel suits.
“Having regards to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, I am compelled to request the Ogun State Command of the SSS to release Mr. Adedayo from custody forthwith”, he said.
Adedayo was said to have been invited the SSS headquarters in Abeokuta, on Friday over the alleged ‘zero allocation’ to local governments in the state following which he was detained.
He had earlier visited the SSS office in Abeokuta on Thursday, over the same matter but was not detained.
Adedayo, according to a source was still being held in the custody of the Secret Service as at yesterday.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
