The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, has stated that the police will not interfere in the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Idogun, Ose Local Government Area of the state. He made it clear that the police force remains neutral and is only concerned with maintaining peace and order.
Speaking in Akure, the state capital, Afolabi noted that chieftaincy matters are civil issues and should not involve the police. He stressed that the role of the police is to ensure law and order in all communities across the state.
He also addressed allegations circulating in a viral video, which claimed that officers deployed to Idogun were involved in phone theft. The video suggested that a police officer entered a shop and stole mobile phones while on duty. The commissioner dismissed these claims as false and misleading.
“Our men were deployed to maintain law and order after the people became riotous over the arrest and remand of one Jide Falade,” Afolabi explained. He added that investigations showed the shop in question was actually a barbershop where officers usually charged their phones.
“My men are still in that community. People who know me very well know that I do not compromise. When I saw the video, I instructed that whosoever was involved should be arrested,” he noted.
Afolabi further clarified that the officers in the video admitted to being in the shop but only to collect their phones after charging them. He added that no official report of phone theft had been made, urging the public to disregard the claims.
“This is simply an attempt by some individuals to be mischievous because their associate is being held accountable for his actions,” he noted.
Providing background on the crisis, Afolabi revealed that the police had received complaints about Jide Falade, who claimed to be a retired Navy captain from the United States military.
“When I received information that Falade and his men had allegedly kidnapped individuals and seized their property, I dispatched the SWAT team to apprehend him. He was arrested and brought to Akure for investigation,” he explained.
Falade was later arraigned on a ten-count charge and remanded at the Ondo Correctional Centre. His arrest led to violent protests in Idogun, with his supporters blocking roads and setting bonfires in opposition to the police action.
Afolabi noted that despite tensions, officers acted professionally in restoring peace.
“In the course of restoring order, one of our officers was attacked with a machete. Despite this provocation, I gave strict orders that my men must not use live ammunition. We applied minimal force, and no one was killed or injured,” he stated.
He urged the public to ignore the viral video unless a formal complaint is made, emphasizing that the police remain committed to ensuring peace in the community.
