Ogun Council Chairman, Adedayo, Who Accused Governor Abiodun Of Diverting Over N17Billion LG Funds Is Being Detained For His Own Good, Says DSS

 

The Department of State Services (DSS) is detaining the Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, to protect him, a source in Nigeria’s secret police has said.

 

Adedayo was detained by the DSS on Friday evening in Abeokuta, the state capital after he honoured an invitation to appear, SaharaReporters reported on Friday.

 

His detention comes a few days after he accused the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, of withholding more than N17 billion statutory Federal Allocation meant for the state’s local governments in the last two years.

 

The governor had also arranged a kangaroo impeachment process in the local government against him.

 

However, a source in the secret police early Sunday morning told SaharaReporters that Adedayo was not detained because of his allegations against Governor Abiodun.

 

The council boss had honoured an invitation by the DSS on Friday, September 1, 2023, following a petition forwarded to Ogun State's command of the service by the state justice ministry.

 

According to the DSS source, the ministry alleged in the petition that Adedayo plans to instigate widespread acts of public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East.

 

“Consequently, the suspended council chairman was interviewed specifically on matters raised in the said petition by operatives of the service,” the source said.

 

“However, Adedayo in the process of the chats revealed some strange faces had been milling around him in Ijebu East with a view to possibly assassinating him, since his correspondence to party stalwarts and anti-graft bodies against the government.

 

“Hence, the need for Adedayo to be put in safe custody pending when the tension in Ijebu East abates.”

 

SaharaReporters had reported that Adedayo, who made his allegations in a letter addressed to a former governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, said that Governor Abiodun had also instructed the Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state, Akibu Efele, and some members of the Black Axe confraternity based in Ijebu Ode to punish him.

 

It was reported that the council chairman, Adedayo in the letter noted that there had been zero federal allocation to each local government area in the state since their chairpersons got on board in 2021.

 

In the letter, Adedayo asked Osoba to urgently wade in and convince Abiodun to allow the statutory federal allocation to local governments in Ogun State to reach each of them as envisaged by the 1999 Constitution.

 

Adedayo in the letter alleged that the trend of denying local governments their due federal allocations by the state government began during the administration of former governor Ibikunle Amosun.

 

However, Governor Abiodun has reportedly denied the allegation saying that his administration had to augment the funds allocated to local governments in the state to enable the council chairmen to meet their obligations.

 

The governor in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran said the local government funds were being handled by the constitutionally recognised Joint Account and Allocation Committee.