Mr. Biodun Adeleye, the Vice-Chairman of Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State, allegedly took the law into his hands, as he seized six officials of the State Ministry of Urban and Regional Planning for marking for demolition an illegal shopping complex being constructed by the local government.
The officials had arrived Arigbajo market in the town where the unapproved structures were being constructed on August 16, 2013, Friday. The Council Vice-Chairman, accompanied by some men, allegedly pounced on them.
The planning officials, including two nursing mothers, were allegedly assaulted and the tyres of their vehicles deflated. All explanations from the officials fell on deaf ears as they were taken to the police station at Itori.
The Divisional Police Officer who was on duty at the police station was shocked to discover that the victims were government officials on official duty. He refused to detain them as expected by the vice-chairman.
Mr. Adeleye subsequently exonerated himself from the attack on the civil servants then, saying he was acting on the orders of his boss. The victims were thereafter released.
Mr. Stephen Adewolu, the General Manager of the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning Ministry, confirmed the attack on the officials to the newsmen, called it unfortunate and an affront.
He also said that after the release of the officials, he and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Urban and Regional Planning, Dele Osifade, had made a report to the Commissioner of the Ministry. He added that the officials regained their freedom thanks to the police’s professionalism.
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