In what appears to a downward slide towards a dictatorship, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has ordered the arrest of a social media commentator, Emmanuel Adediran Ojo.
Ojo was whisked away from his home in the presence of his pregnant wife by ‘fierce looking’ security operatives led by the chief security officer of Governor Amosun on Sunday, September 27, 2015 according to media reports.
Speaking with The Trent, one of Ojo’s associates – who preferred not to be named -, said that Ojo’s arrest is part of “a clampdown on journalists and social media commentators in recent weeks and months, over the anger of the Ogun State Governor and his wife”.
Civil rights groups advocating for Ojo’s release say that Amosun reported him to the Nigerian Police and the Secret Police, the Department of State Security Services (DSS, also known as SSS). They say Ojo’s arrest was conducted in “a gestapo-like manner by the chief security officer of the governor who led some security agencies attached to Amosun to Ibara, Abeokuta.”
Ojo is being detained at Ibara police station, few meters away from the Government House, rights groups confirm to The Trent.
Ojo’s wife, who witnessed the arrest of her husband confirms that the team was led by the Chief Security Officer of Governor Amosun who was dressed in “mufti”. Neither Ojo or his wife were informed of the reason why he was arrested or what crimes he was being charged for.
The state government has remained mum on the matter. Our messages to Governor Amosun’s phone have not been replied as at the time of filing this report.
The Nigerian Police or the DSS have not is issued any statement on the arrest of a citizen by the All Progressive Congress (APC) government of Ogun State.
