Gov Adeleke’s Media Aides Initiate Contempt Proceedings against DSS over Fresh Threat of Arrest
By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed has approached the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the State Security Service, its agents and Femi Oyetola, son of the former Governor of Osun State, who is now the Minister of Blue Economy.
Rasheed, through his lawyer, Barr. J.A Ayanyemi, had approached the court to obtain a Notice Of Caution Against Court Contempt, sequence to fresh invitation and alleged harassment by the State Security Service.
In the suite marked FHC/OS/CS/89/2024 said despite the initial originating summons and court order restraining the 1-3 respondents from inviting, arresting or detaining him, the DSS through its agents are still harassing and threatening him from exercising his fundamental rights.
“Take Notice That Unless you respect the dignity of this honorable court by not interfering or taking any step to prejudice the proceedings of this honorable court during the pendency of this action, you may be liable for contempt of court and be subjected to contempt proceedings before this Honourable court”.
Olawale Rasheed and Sarafa Ibrahim, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Print Media had approached the federal High Court in Osogbo sought the court to restrain the Department of State Services (DSS) from inviting, arresting or detaining them.
The duo seeking for the protection and enforcement of their fundamental human rights against the State Security Service, Director General of the State Security Service, the Osun State Director of the State Security and Femi Oyetola, son of the former Governor of Osun State, who is now the Minister of Blue Economy.
In the suit docketed as FHC/OS/CS/89/2024, Olawale is praying the court to restrain the security operatives, either personally or through any of their agents or representatives, from inviting him, arresting him or threatening his rights to liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of association in any manner on the malicious instigation of Femi Oyetola who is acting the script of some faceless and mischievous politicians who are collaborating to settle political scores against him (Olawale).
In a filling for an order of interim injunction, obtained by the plaintiffs, they sought an order restraining the 1-3 defendants wether personally or through their agents , privies , assigns, representatives or anybody whatsoever, from inviting further inviting, arresting or threatening to arrest the 1-3 defendant on the malicious instigation of the 4 defendant pending the final determination of the originating summons.
In the suit registered on 25th April 2024, Olawale accused Femi Oyetola as being embittered with the loss of his father and their political group at the last Osun Governorship election, and as the mouthpiece of the incumbent Governor of Osun State who upstaged Femi’s father, Oyetola, he is being maliciously hunted by members of the opposition APC using Femi Oyetola, in active collaboration with security agents, to trample upon his fundamental rights.
However, Ibrahim in a suite number FHC/OS/CS/ 108/2024 accused the first to third defendants of vigorously attempting to violate his fundamental rights to personal liberty.
According to the suit, “1st- 3rd defendants are vigorously attempting to violate my fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement freedom of expression and freedom of association by threatening and planning to intimidate, harass, molest and unlawfully arrest me on
the willful instigation of the 4th defendant illegally, unlawfully, and maliciously, with the 4th defendant hell-bent on fabricating allegations to instigate the 1st – 3rd defendants to intimidate, harass, molest and unlawfully arrest me in a bid to settle political scores against me.
“This act of the 1.3rd defendants in collaboration with and/or on the instigation of the 4th defendant constitutes an infringement of my fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, expression and association.
“The 4th Defendant in collaboration with some faceless mischievous politicians in Osun State has vowed to manufacture allegations that Instigate the agents of the 1-3rd defendants to embark manhunt, malicious intimidation and harassment of my personal self aimed at culminating in my unjustifiable arrest by the agents of the 1st-3rd defendants.
“The 4th Defendant in collaboration with some faceless mischievous politicians in Osun State has vowed to cook up serious allegations that can instigate the agents of the 1st-3rd defendants capable of impugning my fundamental human rights.
“The ill-considered and ill-founded plan by the 1s-3rd defendants and their agents to succumb to the willful instigation of the 4th defendant and his faceless mischievous politicians so as to impugn or restrict my liberty and movement, amounts to an encroachment upon my fundamental human rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.”
Ibrahim said he has in no way conducted himself in any manner as to endanger the peace and internal security of Nigeria.
“This is a pointed indication that the invitation is tainted with malice and witch haunt of the opposition APC with the sole goal of settling political scores with prominent aides and members of Governor Adeleke’s Team.
The duo therefore entreated the court to grant his reliefs so as not allow the defendants to collaborate at trampling upon his rights or get at him unjustifiably.
Olawale deposed to the fact that he is not in anyway a threat to the internal peace and security of Nigeria or any part thereof, to warrant security agents to invite him, but the move by the collaborators is in a bid to play the cards of the opposition APC who are planning to have him illegally arrested and unlawfully detained so as to subdue him or hijack from him his fundamental rights to liberty, freedom of movement, expression and association which he is entitled to at all times since he has not committed any offense to warrant the curtailment of his fundamental rights.
He submitted in the court documents that by virtue of section 46 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as altered, he needs not wait till his rights are trampled upon before approaching the court.
In Olawale’s opinion, Oyetola’s move is in connivance with the unsettled opposition APC who are troubled by the daily exposure of their bad governance, unpalatable and unprogressive deeds which they meted out to Osun people while the APC led by Oyetola was in power.
The plaintiff further pointed out that the media agents of the opposition APC have already bombarded the media with the news of his invitation/arrest by the DSS, and that they (APC) have started rejoicing that the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke is already in the net or will be in the net of the security agents and they will ensure they pressurize the security agents not to release but punish him unjustly having not committed any offence.
This is a pointed indication that the invitation is tainted with malice and witch hunt of the opposition APC with the sole goal of settling political scores with prominent aides and members of Governor Adeleke’s Team.
The duo therefore entreated the court to grant his reliefs so as not allow the defendants to collaborate at trampling upon his rights or get at him unjustifiably.