From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

The Spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State Olawale Rasheed has approached the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo seeking the protection and enforcement of his fundamental human rights against the State Security Service and the son of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Femi.

Joined in the suit were the SSS, the Director General of the State Security Service, the Osun State Director of the State Security, and Femi Oyetola.

In the suit marked FHC/OS/CS/89/2024, Olawale is praying the court to restrain the security operatives, either personally or through any of their agents or representatives, from inviting him, arresting him, or threatening his rights to liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of association in any manner on the malicious instigation of Femi Oyetola who is acting the script of some faceless and mischievous politicians who are collaborating to settle political scores against him (Olawale).

In the suit dated 22nd March 2024, Olawale fingered Oyetola as being embittered by the loss of his father and their political gang at the last Osun Governorship election, and as the mouthpiece of the incumbent Governor of Osun State who upstaged Femi’s father, Oyetola, he is being maliciously hunted by members of the opposition APC using Oyetola, in active collaboration with security agents, to trample upon his fundamental rights.

Olawale in a notice filed by his counsel, J. A. Ayanyemi, the Assistant Director, Office of Public Defenders and Citizens’ Rights, Ministry of Justice, Osogbo, claimed that he is not in any way a threat to the internal peace and security of Nigeria or any part thereof, to warrant security agents to invite him, but the move by the collaborators is in a bid to play the cards of the opposition APC who are planning to have him illegally arrested and unlawfully detained to subdue him or hijack from him his fundamental rights to liberty, freedom of movement, expression, and association which he is entitled to at all times since he has not committed any offense to warrant the curtailment of his fundamental rights.

Olawale opined that Oyetola’s move is in connivance with the unsettled opposition APC who are troubled by the daily exposure of their bad governance, unpalatable and unprogressive deeds which they meted out to Osun people while the APC led by Oyetola was in power.

The plaintiff further pointed out that the media agents of the opposition APC have already bombarded the media with the news of his invitation/arrest by the DSS, and that they (APC) have started rejoicing that the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke is already in the net or will be in the net of the security agents and they will ensure they pressurize the security agents not to release but punish him unjustly having not committed any offence.

“This is a pointed indication that the invitation is tainted with malice and witch haunt of the opposition APC with the sole goal of settling political scores with prominent aides and members of Governor Adeleke’s team,” Olawale said.

Noting that he has dispatched his team of legal practitioners to represent him at the DSS Headquarters which is within his rights as a citizen of Nigeria, Rasheed prayed the court to order the security not to invite him or arrest him.