THE family of late Temitope Johnson has accused the Osun State Police Command of covering up his alleged killing by an operative of the State Security Service (SSS) identified as Bamidele.
Temitope’s father, Segun Johnson, told The ICIR on Wednesday that the Police Command had failed to provide information on investigations into the case.
The alleged killer, Bamidele, reportedly shot Temitope on October 6, when SSS operatives stormed a house in the Owode-Ede area of Osun State.
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Temitope was said to have died from a gunshot when the security agents began to shoot sporadically at the building.
The ICIR had reported that the Osun Police Command initially arrested Bamidele, but he was released without any investigation.
In December, The ICIR contacted the Osun State Police Commissioner, Wale Olokode. He said he was already looking into the case.
However, when contacted on Wednesday, the deceased’s father, Segun, told The ICIR that he was invited by the Osun State Police Command in December and was promised that an update would be provided on the investigation.
“The Commissioner of Police called the DPO that released the SSS operative and he said it was an order from top officials of the SSS,” Segun added.
He noted that the top officials of the SSS who ordered Bamidele’s release told the DPO that the accused would be provided to the police for questioning.
However, there has not been any update on the case since December 2021.
The Command has failed to provide any information on the case, and the alleged killer is still walking free.
“They are covering it up. The next time I wanted to see the police commissioner they said he was on leave. I’ve not heard anything from them since then,” Segun noted.
When the police commissioner, Olokode, was contacted on the telephone on Wednesday, he said he could not disclose any information on the case because it involved a ‘sister agency’.
“I won’t be able to speak on that case because it involves a sister agency, but we are working on it,” Olokode said.
When asked further questions on allegations of cover-up, he ended the call abruptly.
The ICIR also contacted the spokesperson for the SSS, Peter Afunanya. He did not respond to telephone calls.
The ICIR sent him text and WhatsApp messages. Afunanya read the messages but did not respond.
The Johnson family had been thrown into grief since October 6, 2021, when the SSS operative allegedly killed Temitope.
After allegedly killing him, the SSS operatives also left with his remains.
“Since that day that I was informed of the incident, I have not seen my son’s body, and I don’t know if he has been buried or if he was thrown somewhere.
“I have done all I could but I don’t have the financial resources to push further, Nigerians should come to my aid,” Temitope’s father, Segun, said.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94