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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Osun State Governor, Sen Ademola Adeleke, has blamed the withdrawal of the personnel of Department of State Service (DSS) attached to him on the rivalry between the officers and men of Nigeria Police Force.
Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, described the incident as a minor disagreement between the personnel of both security agencies.
“The attention of the Osun State Government has been drawn to a report on the alleged withdrawal of security personnel from Governor Ademola Adeleke. We want to clarify that it is a minor disagreement between officers of the Department of State Services and the Police.
“The matter has been reported to the headquarters of the two security agencies for resolution. The issue is being sorted out. We reassure members of the public that there is no cause for alarm. Your Governor is fully secured and governance is proceeding without let or hindrance,” Rasheed said.
Meanwhile, the socio-political group that first broke the news, Osun Shall Rise Again (OSRA), in a statement by its Secretary and Chairman, Saheed Bakare and Lanre Akeju respectively, insisted that the DSS operatives were withdrawn from the governor for hauling insults at them, despite several attempts made by the headquarters to stop him from disrespecting its men.
The group disclosed that Adeleke has been begging the leadership of DSS for the reinstatement of the operatives, adding that the governor has promised not to disrespect them again.
“It is unfortunate that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s unguarded utterances has led to DSS to withdraw their personnel from him. Despite the fact that a top official of the department called to caution the governor, they (Adeleke and his sister) hauled more insults on the officers. The development angered the DSS headquarters and after making contacts, they decided to withdraw their personnel.
“After the withdrawal, the governor pleaded with the DSS command for another chance. He is being expected in Abuja on Monday, where he will be explaining himself and reassure the DSS that he can be trusted with their officers,” the group said.