I Was Never Arrested By Police, DSS During NANS Election, Ex-NANS PRO Cries Out

Adeyemi Azeez

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji 

ABEOKUTA - The Special Assistant On Students Matters to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, Mr. Adeyemi Azeez has denied being arrested by men of Nigeria Police nor the operatives of Department of State Security (DSS) at the just concluded convention of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) held in Abuja. 

Adeyemi, a former National PRO of the students body said the news of his arrest as published by an online media was targeted at destroying him and tarnish the image of Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun. 

He spoke on Thursday at a press conference held at the NUJ press centre, Iwe Irohin House, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta. 

Adeyemi explained that, although, he was in Abuja on the election day, but was never at the election ground to be arrested or detained by anybody. 

He challenged the Department of State Security (DSS) to provide evidence of his arrest.

He maintained that, the widespread rumour and concocted lies about his arrest was the machination of his political enemies to drag him down following his refusal to align with some interests to support a particular candidate for the NANS National President zoned to the South West.

He therefore, vowed to take legal redress against management of Saharareporters for maliciously damaging his character and failure to provide proof of his arrest within 72hours. 

"I wish to state categorically as the former Public Relation Officer (PRO) and an outgoing National Executive Council member of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that I was never neither arrested nor detained by any security agency during the National Convention of NANS, I challenge the DSS to also make bold to tell the world if at any point in time I was arrested during this convention on that Thursday.

"However, the machination of my political enemies had been at work ahead of that Thursday because I had previously received several calls on Tuesday that I've been arrested by the men of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and not until Thursday that they chose to publish a fake, integrity attacking and unjustifiable story through some online blog and Sahara Reporters. It became obvious that the drama was desperately targeted at destroying me and as well attacking the good image of the governor of Ogun State.

"On this faithful day Thursday, I was at Maitama hospital to check and thereby stay with a friend and a well known student leader in the country who was rushed to the hospital on Thursday afternoon. It was at the hospital that I heard what transpire at the Old parade Ground and that I have been arrested. I was not at any point in time arrested in Abuja either by men of DSS or NPF.

"I make it bold to say that these concurred lies were politically motivated on my refusal to align with some interests regardless of pressure across for a particular candidate for NANS President Zoned to South West in accordance with NANS Constitution. This barrel of lies as promulgated would have gotten strong basis if I was contesting for the post of NANS National president.

"From all info and facts as regards proceeding at the NANS Convention ground, it was obvious that the Ogun, Oyo, Ondo delegates moved in a convoy to the ground of election and we're attacked on arrival before getting down from their buses by some thugs loyal to one of the NANS Presidential candidate led by the candidate himself to denied them access to the Convention venue and this was in the presence of some security operatives from both the DSS and NPF.

"The said Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) bus was not impounded and other Union buses from states like Oyo and Ondo were not impounded on Thursday as reported by Sahara but on Friday afternoon they were moved from the election ground to police station. 

"I hereby call on the management of Sahara Reporters to provide proof of my arrest and been detained by either the Men of Department of State Security (DSSS) or Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and failure for them to do this, I will take necessary legal action against them to seek redress for publishing this unconfirmed story and deformation of my character."