Osun govt to Police: Don’t free Lameco banditry suspect under political pressure

The Osun State Government has warned the state police command not to bow to political pressure in the handling of a suspected bandit linked to the “Lameco” case, insisting that any claim of psychiatric illness must be backed by verifiable evidence.

The state government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, also raised concerns over the state police command’s silence on alleged APC involvement in the Lameco banditry case.

According to Alimi, while police confirmed that the suspect is under psychiatric evaluation, their statement did not address civil society claims that APC chieftains visited police stations to lobby for his release.

Alimi said the government was reacting to “two separate statements and developments on the subject.” The first came from the Public Safety Accountability Group, a civil society organisation, which earlier today accused “high-profile Osun APC operatives” of lobbying the police to release the suspect on medical grounds.

He said the group questioned why “listed APC chieftains are visiting police stations to secure the suspect’s release”, describing the move as “a ploy to cover up a major breakthrough in the dismantling of a criminal gang”.

It argued that releasing the suspect would undermine ongoing efforts to tackle banditry in the state.

The state police command had responded to the uproar by confirming that the suspect is undergoing psychiatric evaluation. The police further stated that an herbalist had confirmed treating the suspect for “madness for the past ten years.”

However, the police statement did not address allegations of APC involvement in efforts to secure bail for the suspect.

Picking up on that silence, the Osun State Government cautioned against “manipulation of law enforcement to serve partisan interest”. Alimi warned the police to “be wary of actions and activities that may embolden criminals in this delicate period”, saying the case involves a “high-profile banditry suspect”.

To clarify the matter, the government posed three direct questions to the police command. First: “Where is the medical report on the reported psychiatric condition of the suspect?” Second: “Who is the herbalist, and where is his statement of treating the suspect for the last 10 years?” Third: “Is it true that APC chieftains have visited and sent emissaries to the police to secure the release of the suspect?”

The government also questioned the timing of the police disclosure, asking, “Why was the police silent on the Lameco suspect until the civil society group raised eyebrows on the subject?” Alimi said the lack of earlier communication raised concerns over transparency in a case with serious security implications.

The statement further called the attention of the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to the development, urging them to monitor the case.

He tasked the Osun Commissioner of Police to “stop the ongoing politicisation of a delicate state security matter” and ensure due process is followed without external interference.