Governor Adeleke decried the continued detention of Mr Adegoke, describing it as a breach of his fundamental human rights.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in what he described as unlawful arrests and detentions by the Osun State Police Command.
In a statement issued in Osogbo on Monday and signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor urged the IGP to call the Osun Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gothan, to order over the arrest and continued detention of people in the state, including one of his aides, Abiodun Adegoke Apesin.
The governor also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Adegoke, who he said has been repeatedly denied bail following a defamation petition linked to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji.
According to the statement, Governor Adeleke decried the continued detention of Mr Adegoke, describing it as a breach of his fundamental human rights.
He noted that the subject of the petition from the APC and its candidate is a non-capital offence which is bailable under Nigerian law.
The governor questioned why the police would deny bail on two occasions despite compliance with bail conditions, including the production of level 10 and level 12 officials, describing the situation as “an unacceptable partisan conduct by the state police command."
While calling on the IGP to direct the Commissioner of Police to order the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Adegoke, the governor cautioned the police against becoming a tool in the hands of political players, warning that such actions could undermine peace and security in the state.
“One of my aides, Mr Adegoke has been detained for more than five days now. He has not been charged to court and he has been refused bail on two occasions. That is a fundamental breach of the law and the constitution," the governor said.
He further accused the Osun Police Command of losing professionalism since the assumption of office by Mr Gothan as Commissioner of Police in the state.
"The Osun Police Command seem to be losing every sense of professionalism since Mr Gothan resumed as CP in Osun. Police now detain for as long as they want without granting bail or charging suspects to court, and in most cases, the abuse of rights of citizens is based on the verbal petition or instructions of opposition political leaders."
Governor Adeleke also alleged systematic harassment of his media aides, insisting they were operating within the confines of the law.
“I therefore demand unconditional and immediate release of Mr Adegoke and an end to the systematic harassment of my media aides who are functioning within the confines of the law and the constitution. Before Mr Adegoke, another one of my aides, Mr. Iyiola Monsuru was detained. Both of them were arrested without the Police extending a formal invitation to them."
He warned the police against actions that could portray the command as partisan.
“The police command should not give the impression or conduct itself in ways and manners that will mark it as serving the political interest of APC and its chieftains.
"The police should be impartial and non-partisan and serve the interest of all Nigerians within the confers of the law”, the governor was quoted as saying.