The Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), Ila local government area of Osun state, Mr Samson Olayinka Odewale has alleged that the state Head of Service, Dr Festus Oyebade Olowogboyega was after his life.
To this end, Odewale had petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, zone 11, asking the police to investigate the allegation and ensure that his life is not cut short by any disgruntled element.
In the petition signed by his lawyer, Mr Muftau Abiodun Adediran, the council boss alleged that some unidentified men had been trailing him around in the recent time, just as strange movement of unknown individuals was noticed in his house located at Dada Estate area of Osogbo.
The development, he said was after he had been invited by the police for interrogation at the State Police command headquarters and his mobile phone seized for days, which led to the search of his residence by the police as a result of allegations leveled against him by the Head of Service.
Odewale in a statement released to the media also alleged that Olowogboyega had frustrated him administratively and made attempts to pull him out of service but couldn’t have his way, hence his (Olowogboyega) alleged actions.
His words “It has become imperative for me to let the world know that my life is in great danger, and the source of the threat is Comrade Festus Olowogboyega, the Osun State Head of Service. In the last six years or so, Olowogboyega has adopted various tactics to intimidate and victimize my person. However, the “hunting” has taken a dangerous dimension in the last 15 days as strange faces have been trailing me around in very suspicious manner.
“Before he adopted this scary method, he had used lies and blackmail since 2018 to attack my person. Having threatened to get me out of the service, he approached people in Ogbeni Aregbesola’s government (names withheld) and lied to them that: I have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and I was regularly visiting the country home of the Adeleke dynasty in Ede.
“He also alleged that I was using my position as the Chairman of Forum of Council Managers to undermine the party in power and promote the main opposition party.
“He said all of these to prepare justifications for his evil intention to move me from the local government service to the state service, where, according to him, he would be able to deal with me and dismiss me from the service. When he thought that the people in government have swallowed his lies hook, line and sinker, he came up with a posting instruction that was most unprecedented, moving me from Ila Local Government to Osun State Council for Arts and Culture,” he added.
He explained that his crisis with Olowogboyega was as a result of issues associated with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and his position as chairman of the Forum of Council Managers in the state, alleging that Olowogboyega wanted to have influence on the two organizations.
Odewale who alleged that his life is in serious danger, called on the Police to protect him even as he urged members of the public to prevail on Olowogboyega, who he alleged of being behind his current challenges.
