Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have reportedly raided the residence of Alalade Bukola Felix, popularly known as Machiavelli, a Special Assistant on Media to Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and taken him into custody.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 1 a.m. on Monday at Alalade’s residence in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, amid heightened political tension ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
According to reports, the police officers arrived at the residence in the early hours of the morning and demanded that Alalade come outside.
When the occupants reportedly refused to open the door, the officers allegedly forced their way into the house by breaking down the door before taking the governor’s aide away.
Alalade’s wife, Folakemi, who recounted the incident to journalists on Monday, said she noticed light reflecting through the window of their home at about 1 a.m. and attempted to wake her husband.
“Yes, we were at home. We were at home sleeping and I saw the traces of light through the window around 1 a.m. So I tried to wake him up. I could see some reflection through the window,” she said.
She explained that shortly after her husband woke up, the people outside began calling his name and demanding that he come out.
According to her, the family initially refused to open the door because they were uncertain about the identity of the people outside.
“So when he woke up, 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 said.
“When they came inside, we tried to beg them. They said no, so they took him away.”
Folakemi said the men identified themselves as policemen when the family demanded to know who they were, but did not indicate the particular police formation or command to which they belonged.
“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, they are policemen,” she said.
“So they destroyed the door and got inside.”
She added that she later received information 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.
The governor’s aide’s wife also said the officers did not tell the family why Alalade was being arrested or disclose any offence for which he was being detained.
The arrest comes against the backdrop of growing political tension in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with allegations from political actors that supporters and members of opposition groups are being targeted.
The circumstances surrounding Alalade’s arrest have also generated concern among his family and associates, particularly because the operation allegedly took place in the middle of the night.
Folakemi appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Osun State Commissioner of Police to intervene and secure her husband’s release.
She said the incident had subjected the family to considerable distress.
“They should please release my husband. All my family is in tension. Even me, I am vomiting, I am also purging. I am not okay. I have been running up and down since,” she said.
“They should please release him. 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.”
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