The chairman of the Accord party in Osun State, Pastor Victor Akande, has issued a strong call for the immediate release of a party supporter who is allegedly being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department. He directed his appeal to the Osun State Commissioner of Police, urging action without further delay.
According to a statement released on Friday, the detained individual is identified as Owoeye Muyiwa. Akande claims that Muyiwa has been in custody for three days under the instruction of Senator Francis Fadahunsi, reportedly issued through the senator’s police orderly.
The situation, as described by the party, stems from Muyiwa’s act of putting up a billboard in support of Governor Ademola Adeleke within his own family property. This action, the chairman suggested, led to the arrest. The party further alleges that the detention may be linked to Muyiwa’s refusal to switch allegiance to the All Progressives Congress, despite ongoing pressure and invitations from Senator Fadahunsi.
Akande also said that there were attempts to falsely implicate Muyiwa in the destruction of APC billboards in the area. However, individuals who were called to identify him reportedly told investigators they had not witnessed him committing any vandalism, thus clearing him of that accusation.
The Accord chairman emphasized that even in the absence of any evidence tying Muyiwa to a crime, he remains locked up at the State CID. He noted that officials at the CID have indicated that only the Commissioner of Police can authorize Muyiwa’s release.
Akande condemned the ongoing detention as a form of intimidation and harassment directed at Accord members and supporters across Ijesaland. He stated, “We respectfully call on the Commissioner of Police to ensure the immediate release of Mr. Owoeye Muyiwa without further delay. No citizen should be subjected to unlawful detention or political intimidation for expressing support for a political leader or exercising his lawful rights.”
The Accord chairman also drew the attention of the Inspector General of Police, the Owa Obokun Palace, and democratic institutions both in Nigeria and abroad to what he described as increasing violations of people’s rights in Ijesaland. He added, “Our people should not be pushed to the wall through acts of intimidation and harassment. Democracy must be protected, and the rights of citizens must be respected at all times.”