Abiodun: Falana Calls for the Release of the Local Government Chairman in Ogun State

Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to release Mr. Wale Adedayo, the chairman of Ijebu East Local Government in Ogun State, who has been detained by the DSS. Falana’s request was conveyed through a statement he personally signed and provided to the media on Sunday.

To provide some context, Mr. Adedayo had been taken into custody by the DSS after accusing Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun of misappropriating federal allocation funds allocated to the state’s local governments over the past two years. This detention occurred on Friday.

It is worth noting that despite Mr. Adedayo’s voluntary appearance at the DSS facility near the Governor’s office in Oke-Imosan, Abeokuta, around 11:45 am on Friday in response to an invitation from the secret police, the DSS did not conduct any interrogation.

In his statement, Falana suggested that while the Ogun State Government had refuted the allegations of fund diversion, Governor Abiodun should consider taking legal action against Mr. Wale Adedayo for libel by filing a lawsuit in the Ogun State High Court.

“Last week, the Chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government, Ogun State, Mr. Wale Adedayo accused the State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun of diverting the statutory allocations of the 20 local governments in the State. Shortly thereafter, the Council boss was invited by the Ogun State Command of the State Security Service (SSS),” the statement reads.

“However, when he turned up for the invitation on 1st September 2023, he was asked to respond to the petition submitted to the Command by the State Government.

“In the said petition, it was alleged that Mr. Adedayo had instigated widespread acts of public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East Local Government.

“Even though the embattled Council boss denied the allegation of instigating acts of public disturbance, the State Security Service has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun

“Even though the Ogun State Government has denied the allegation of funds diversion, Governor Abiodun is advised to sue Mr. Wale Adedayo for libel in the Ogun State High Court.

“In similar circumstances, two of his predecessors, the late Governor Olabisi Onabanjo had sued the National Concord newspaper for libel in the Ogun State High Court in 1981 while Governor Segun Osoba sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in the Ogun State High Court in 2001. Both Governors won the libel suits.

“Having regards to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, I am compelled to request the Ogun State Command of the SSS to release Mr. Adedayo from custody forthwith.”