…Urge CSO, others to thread the part of peace, before, during, and after the protests

OSOGBO- 29/07/2024 – osunstate.gov.ng

Ahead of the planned nationwide protests scheduled to commence between August 1 and 10, throughout Nigeria, Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has hinged on the need for members of the Civil Society Organisations in Osun as well as other stakeholders planning to take part in the protests to eschew any act capable of undermining the peace and security of Osun State.

Governor Adeleke who acknowledged that the protesters have the inalienable right as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to embark on a protest, however, frowned at any act that has the tendency of mortgaging the peace and tranquility of Osun State and its people.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi alongside some members of the Osun State Executive Council, Governor Adeleke, had a mutually comprehensive citizen engagement dialogue with the members of the Civil Society Organisations and other groups throughout Osun State, who converged at Finance Building, State Secretariat, Abeere, for the dialogue.

According to the Governor while, at the meeting, which lasted over two hours, ” the peace and harmony of Osun state should be of paramount interest to us during the planned protests.

“My administration commitments, at all times, is to make Osun a reference point for other states in Nigeria.

“I therefore implore you to be law abiding before, during and after the coming nationwide protests, as no act of violence of any kind would be entertained by my administration in Osun State while carrying out your protests.

“In Osun, we are known to be good and peaceful and we should allow that to remain our pride as a state that is always ahead of others in all things that are good and developmental,” the Governor stated via an address by his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi.

Earlier in their remarks, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Abba, and General Officer Commanding, Engineering Construction Regiment, Ede, Brigadier General Abdul Kareem Aliyu, equally admonished the protesters to be decorous while carrying out the protests in Osun State.

The G.O.C of E.C.R Ede who pointed out that Osun is unarguably the most peaceful state in Nigeria, also counselled the protesters not to compromise on this and other good attributes of the state on the altar of staging a violent protest.

In the same vein, all the Service Chiefs comprising the Nigeria Police, Army, DSS, Immigration, Correctional Centre, Civil Defence, Air Force and Road Safety among others at the meeting were also unanimous in their contributions to deflate any tendency to make the protests assume the toga of hooliganism and other untoward acts of unbridled lawlessness, stressing that, anyone caught will be made to face the music.

Members of the Civil Society Organizations and other Non Governmental Organizations on whose premise the dialogue was called for, in their different remarks, commended Governor Ademola Adeleke and his administration for providing the forum for such a dialogue, sequel to the kick off of the nationwide protests throughout Nigeria on Thursday. Accordingly, they all endorsed the need to abide by all the terms of agreements reached at the meeting, which basically centred on achieving violent free protests in Osun State during the coming nationwide protests.

In his address at the dialogue, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the notion in some quarters, that Governor Adeleke called for the meeting in order to grease the palms of the CSO and other Comrades/Activists to dissuade them from being effective in the protest, while describing the allegations as completely baseless and mischievous, Oluomo Alimi commended the CSO members and other Activists for their large turnout, saying they are genuine activists for being bold and courageous enough to attend the meeting, despite pressures in some quarters to do otherwise.

The Information Commissioner maintained that the dialogue with them was borne out of the good intentions of Governor Adeleke to make the planned protests completely free of brigandage and lawlessness in Osun State.

E signed,
Oluomo Kolapo Alimi,
The Honourable commissioner for Information and
Public Enlightenment,
Osun State.

●Retrieves Vehicles from Ex-Amotekun Field Commander.

OSOGBO-30/07/2024 -osunstate.gov.ng

The Asset Recovery Committee set up by the state government has commenced retrieval of state assets illegally carted away by top officials of the previous administration.

The Committee under the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye started field operations yesterday after compliance with required due process as required by law and in compliance with its mandate.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Osun State government inaugurated a special Asset Recovery Task Force to reclaim government project vehicles and other assets taken by officials of the previous administration.

This initiative followed the release of a white paper from the Asset Recovery Committee, which was established by Governor Ademola Adeleke through an executive order on November 27, 2022, the day of his inauguration.

The task force was mandated to “ensure immediate recovery” of the assets. During the inauguration, Head of Service Mr. Ayanleye Aina who represented Governor Ademola Adeleke emphasized the committee’s role in implementing the asset recovery report and retrieving the assets taken by officials of the previous administration.

On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye held a press conference in Osogbo where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to recovering properties believed to have been misappropriated by political appointees of the former Adegboyega Oyetola administration.

Igbalaye stressed that the Asset Recovery Task Force was not intended to target individuals but to recover all misappropriated assets.

He explained that the Task Force was scrutinizing which vehicles and assets were lawfully taken and which were not. According to Igbalaye, under the previous administration, political appointees could retain their official vehicles if they had served at least two years, paid a specified amount to the government, and if the vehicle was less than four years old, paid 10% of its residual value.

However, the Task Force determined that while the previous Executive Governor’s approvals for vehicle releases followed due process, a letter from the former Head of Service allowing political appointees to keep their vehicles was deemed illegal.

Igbalaye dismissed claims from the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) that the asset recovery efforts were vindictive, asserting that all government assets and vehicles not legally retained by the previous administration’s officials must be recovered.

In an effort to carry out its mandate, the task force paid a visit to the residence of the immediate past Osun Amotekun Field Commander, Comrade Amitolu Shittu in the early hours of Monday, 29th July, 2024, recovering three vehicles illegally possessed by him.

It should be put on record that the operation conducted at Amitolu’s residence was a lawful and necessary measure to retrieve vehicles and assets unlawfully retained by him from his tenure as the Osun Amotekun Field Commander.

During his term, Amitolu was known to have illegally possessed several vehicles that belonged to the government, which had not been returned despite repeated requests.

It is important to note that the operation was conducted in accordance with legal protocols and was intended to recover these assets for the benefit of the state. The involvement of the Osun Security Joint Task Force (JTF) and Amotekun Corps was part of a coordinated effort to ensure the recovery process was handled efficiently and securely.

Amitolu’s claim of the exercise being a violation of privacy and an act of political persecution is a smokescreen to divert attention from his own legal and ethical breaches.

His assertions that the operation was a premeditated attempt to silence him are baseless and reflect his attempt to politicize a straightforward asset recovery process.

Moreover, the vehicles in question were clearly documented as state property, and there is substantial evidence to support their recovery. Amitolu’s challenge to provide documents and his threat to seek legal redress are attempts to obfuscate the clear facts and delay justice.

The government’s actions were fully justified, and the call for scrutiny by security agencies should be directed towards ensuring transparency in all operations, including those involving Amitolu’s activities.

This recovery effort is part of a broader commitment to accountability and good governance, which the state administration remains dedicated to upholding.

Signed:
Oluomo Kolapo Alimi,
Hon Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment.

OSOGBO -29/07/2024- Osunstate.gov.ng

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has ordered immediate phased disbursement of bursary stipends to Osun State students in various tertiary institutions.

The government had earlier collated students data across the tertiary institutions using the records from students stakeholders.

The bursary award covers about three thousand five hundred regular students and almost three hundred law students.

Each of the 30 local governments and area office has at least 100 students on the award list.

The first phase of the award is to reach beneficiaries from this week as the state government ramps up efforts to cushion the effect of study challenges facing Osun students in various institutions.

Speaking on the development, Governor Adeleke said the bursary award is the beginning of the many initiatives his administration has in stock for the student sector.

According to the Governor, his recent meetings with the student leadership has further deepened the bond between his administration and the student population, assuring that more goodies are in the pipeline.

“Aside from the bursary awards, more policy actions to address the needs of our students are coming. I plan an expanded meeting with the student population very soon as a follow up to the last meeting with the leaders of the various students associations in the state”, Governor Adeleke noted.

Signed:
Mallam Olawale Rasheed,
Spokesperson to the State Governor.