Drama in Ile-Ife as Police Allegedly Attack Navy Personnel to Free Suspected Thugs – Osun Govt Alleges

By Omidiran Seun

The Osun State Government has raised an alarm over an alleged attack by operatives of the Osun State Police Command on personnel of the Nigerian Navy to free five suspected thugs linked to a notorious transport enforcer, Asiri Eniba.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the state government called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the diplomatic community to intervene over what it described as growing police impunity in the state.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on Sunday in Ile-Ife when thugs allegedly led by Asiri Eniba, accompanied by police operatives, invaded motor parks in the ancient town in an attempt to forcefully take them over, shooting sporadically in the process.

Alimi said that following a distress call from residents of the Mayfair area, naval personnel stationed in Ile-Ife intervened and arrested five of the suspected hoodlums, recovering five pump-action rifles from them.

He further alleged that upon learning of the arrest, the Osun State Commissioner of Police contacted the Naval Commandant to request that the suspects be handed over to the police, but the Commandant insisted that he needed clearance from higher authorities before doing so.

The government claimed that the Commissioner, enraged by the response, allegedly deployed four lorry-loads of mobile policemen who attacked the naval personnel, teargassed them, and forcefully rescued the suspected thugs, although the recovered rifles were not retrieved.

“This is a bizarre situation and impunity taken too far,” the statement read.

The state government appealed to President Tinubu, as father of the nation, to intervene before the situation degenerates further, while also urging the NSA to act swiftly to prevent an escalation.

It also called on the diplomatic community to impose visa bans on any police official found aiding and abetting political violence in the state.