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Detaining opposition won’t stop criticism of govt’s failure: PDP
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Arrests to narrow space for online criticism
The Police in Kwara State have arrested three prominent social media critics of the State Government, according to reports, the latest arrest is ordered by the Kwara State Ministry of Justice.
Opposition figures have been arrested and invited for questioning by security agencies in recent times for social media posts criticising the government.
In January 2021, the Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Domestic Affairs, Alasi Obasanjo, popularly called SOJ, ordered the arrest of Lawal Sarafadeen (Arabmoney), a member of the opposition party and Kayode Ogunlowo who belonged to the Lai Mohammed’s faction of the All Progressive Congress in the state.
Referring to a Facebook post of 15th of November, 2020, he stated that the two defendants had attempted to blackmail and harm his hard-earned reputation.
Meanwhile, in the latest clampdown, the opposition figures affected, The Informant247 gathered, include Kayode Ogunlowo, Babatunde Olusola Saka and a member of the opposition party – Olusegun Olusola Sholyment
A copy of the government’s petition obtained by this medium, accused them of inciting public disturbance, injurious falsehood and criminal defamation.
“From the available fact, Olusegun Olusola Sholyment, Kayode Ogunlowo and Babatunde Olusola Saka are Ilorin residents, Political jobbers and online blackmailers who specialises in the usage of social media to blackmail government officials and cause political instability in Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole on 18th July, 2021, the aforesaid concocted a viral Facebook post cum online news made injurious statement against His Excellency, Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, his sister Senator Khairat Gwadabe,” the petition partly reads.
It was further gathered that the Commissioner of Police directed the petition to the Officer-in-Charge of Special Investigation Bureau (OC/SIB) instructing him to “investigate and report” on July 22, the same day the petition was submitted.
“The SIB swiftly swung into action, inviting all the 3 accused, via a phone call. While Sholyment was reported to have honoured the invitation with his lawyers on Monday, Kayode Ogunlowo and Babatunde Olusola Saka only turned in on Tuesday,” an informed source narrated. “They are all currently in detention.”
The police spokesperson in Kwara State, Ajayi Okasanmi, told The Informant247 Tuesday afternoon that the accused are being detained following a complaint filed by the government, stressing that they are all currently under interrogation.
Groups have, meanwhile, warned that the renewed crackdown by the government is meant at creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression online.
“Arrest of opposition won’t stop criticism of govt’s failure: PDP”
Reacting to the clampdown, the Peoples Democratic Party, has said that no amount of clampdown by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s government on the opposition will suppress criticism against its failure.
Spokesman of Party, Tunde Ashaolu, stated Tuesday that the group found it worrying that the government is using state apparatus to silence opposition members and muzzle dissenting voices, noting that the present administration had on different occasions demonstrated its intolerance to criticism.
The party further warned the governor against turning Kwara into a lawless State
Asaholu said, “It is only in a banana republic that a responsible citizen will honour invitation of security operatives and be detained illegally on the order of the Governor for criticizing the bad policies, misgovernance and nonperformance of the Governor.
“We have also been alerted to the plans of the present administration in Kwara to arrest some selected members of the opposition who have been critical of the incompetence and maladministration of Governor Abdulrazaq.
“This is wrong and absurd. Under a democratic setting, responsible citizens should not be detained indiscriminately for criticizing and holding government accountable. Kwarans must not allow this untoward and unjust action of the Governor to stand. We must resist all attempts by the Governor to intimidate dissenting voices.
“Our party demands the unconditional and immediate release of Mr Olusegun Olushola from the police detention.”