Daud Olatunji
Tension has heightened in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election following the reported arrest of Alalade Bukola Felix, popularly known as Machiavelli, a Special Assistant on Media to Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Alalade was reportedly arrested by policemen who stormed his residence in the early hours of Monday and allegedly forced their way into the house after he declined to open the door.
The incident, according to a report by SaharaReporters, occurred around 1am at Alalade’s residence.
His wife, Folakemi, who narrated the incident, said the family was asleep when she noticed light reflecting through the window and subsequently woke her husband.
She said the men outside began calling her husband’s name and ordering him to come out.
According to her, the family initially refused to open the door because they could not ascertain who was outside.
She alleged that the men eventually broke down the door and entered the residence.
“They were shouting his name that he should come out, but we refused to open the door for them. So they tried until they burst in by themselves. They broke through the door by themselves,” she was quoted as saying.
Folakemi said the men identified themselves as policemen but did not tell the family which police formation they came from.
“They said they were policemen, because we asked them, ‘Who are you?’ They said they were policemen. They didn’t even say from where. They were just banging the door that we should open, that they are policemen,” she said.
She added that the officers took her husband away despite pleas from members of the family.
A voice recording obtained by SaharaReporters reportedly captured part of the incident, including Alalade asking the men to identify themselves and offering to come out voluntarily.
The recording also allegedly captured sounds indicating that the door was forced open, while his wife could be heard pleading with the officers not to arrest him.
Folakemi said she later learnt that her husband had been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo.
“I just heard from him. I was told he was taken to State CID, Osogbo. That is the latest information I got,” she said.
She said neither she nor her husband was informed of the alleged offence for which he was arrested.
The development comes amid growing political tension in Osun State as parties intensify campaigns and mobilisation ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The reported arrest has also triggered allegations of a possible political crackdown on opposition figures and supporters.
However, there was no independent confirmation in the report of the allegation that the arrest was politically motivated.
The police were also not quoted as giving an official explanation for the arrest or confirming the specific allegation against Alalade.
Folakemi appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Osun State Commissioner of Police to intervene in the matter and ensure that her husband’s whereabouts and legal status are made clear.
She said the incident had left the family distressed.
“My husband is a normal man. He doesn’t cause any issue, any trouble at all. He goes on his own. They should please release him,” she pleaded.
The arrest comes at a politically sensitive period in Osun, with the forthcoming governorship election expected to attract heightened security and political activity across the state.
PLATFORM TIMES could not independently verify, as of the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding the arrest or the specific allegation against the governor’s media aide.
The Osun State Police Command is expected to clarify whether Alalade was arrested by its operatives, the reason for the arrest and where he is currently being detained.
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