Funds misappropriation: Falana asks DSS to release Ogun LG chair

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the suspended Chairman of Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, who accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting local government funds.

The DSS detained Adedayo on Friday after honouring the security agency’s invite.

The DSS has held incommunicado the local government chairman since Friday, even though no statement was released over why he had been kept in custody for over 48 hours.

The human rights lawyer, Falana, recalls that Adedayo was invited by the Ogun State Command of the State Security Service to respond to a petition submitted to the service by the Ogun State Government.

“In the said petition, it was alleged that Mr Adedayo had instigated widespread public disturbance and chaos in Ijebu East Local Government,” Falana stated.

He stated that although Adedayo denied the allegation of instigating acts of public disturbance, the DSS “has decided to detain him due to his refusal to withdraw the allegation levelled against Governor Abiodun.”

Speaking further, Falana advised the governor to sue Adedayo for libel.

He went down memory lane when he said the late Gov Olabisi Onabanjo had in 1981 sued the National Concord newspaper for libel, while former Gov Segun Osoba also sued the Punch Newspaper for defamation of character in 2001, saying “both Governors won the libel suits.”

He told the DSS to release the embattled chairman and let the governor sue him for libel.

“Having regards to the facts and circumstances of this particular case, I am compelled to request the Ogun State Command of the SSS to release Mr. Adedayo from custody forthwith,” Falana stated.