Harassment: Kwara blogger, Shollyment fingers APC in 9-hr detention by DSS in Ilorin

…says, security agency accused him of working for Saraki

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Popular Ilorin blogger, Olusegun Olushola popularly known as
Shollyment last night, recounted his ordeal at the hands of men of the
Department of State Security Service (DSS).
Olusola, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a fierce
critic of the present administration was reportedly quizzed and
detained for over nine hours by the DSS on Tuesday over allegation
that he was working for the opposition and former senate president, Dr
Bukola Saraki.
Speaking with this reporter in a telephone conversation last night,
the former media aide of late Funke Adedoyin accused the opposition
All Progressives Congress (APC) of working with some DSS officials in
the state to silence the opposition.
According to him, the ruling party and their supporters should learn
to tolerate opposition views just like they were allowed to thrive to
deepen democracy and better the lot of the state adding that no amount
of harassment and intimidation from any quarters can silence or kill
his resolve to demand good governance.
Narrating his experience, he said, his phone was taken away from him
and he was denied food and access to his lawyer for the period he
spent in the custody of the DSS adding that he was not tortured
although they attempted it.
“I was invited on Monday to report to their office but I wasn’t
comfortable with that time, so I was rescheduled to come on Tuesday by
10am. They kept me in the waiting room and was there till around 2pm
without access to food, they collected my phone and other gadgets,
even the lawyer that came to solicit for me was not allowed access to
me. Around 2pm, I was invited to their private office.
“I asked what my offence was and they said I posted that some Okada
people protested against the government. They asked how can I justify
that because the protest was not against government but KWARTMA. But I
asked them who KWARTMA is working for and if they are not government
agency.
“We debated that for about an hour and when they saw that I stood my
ground, they later accused me of posting false information about the
House of Representatives members, Raheem Olawuyi (Ajulo Opin) for
saying he was not the facilitator of the project going on at his
constituency.
“I told them I was a principal actor in that constituency and that
former rep member, late Funke Adedoyin was actually my principal
because I worked as her media aide and so any project executed during
the budget period of 2017/18, we were actually involved and I know
their limit. So when Ajulo- Opin started laying claims to the project,
as a member of the team, it’s my right and privilege to debunk it and
set the record straight.
“They also alleged that I have been posting things against the
government and that I’m working for former senate president, Dr Bukola
Saraki but I told them I’m not working for anybody and they ask what
was the relationship between us. My reply was that I am just a party
member just like the former senate president.
“What I suspect is that some people in government actually called them
to intimidate me so that we will be subdued. They were even saying it
that I should not to be criticising the government because it is just
few weeks old. But I asked them when is the exact time to start
opposition. What I found out was that some officers in that place are
sympathisers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and they were
trying to work in tandem with what their principal told them. I don’t
think the Director was involved because when he later came and was
briefed, he told them he wanted to talk one on one with me, and
ushered me to his office and we discussed for about 30mins.
“I explained that nobody is sponsoring me that I’m only doing what I
am doing as a citizen and no one can stop anybody from having opinion
about issues whether positive or negative which the director
corroborated. He told me it’s my right as a citizen and to belong to
anybody or group and to even like or dislike anybody that I chose
adding that nobody can stop me from writing but I should ensure my
write-ups are factual. The director said when they said I was a member
of the PDP, he queried what was their business with that, so far my
action doesn’t tamper with the security of the state. “They just want
to intimidate and put me into silence”, he noted.
On whether the action of the DSS will silence him as an outspoken
opposition PDP member, Shollyment replied thus; “This is not their
first time, they did it last year before the bye- election and before
I got home after my release I started posting articles. I even told
them while in their office to prepare more space for detention because
nobody can silence anybody.
“And so far that we did not harass them when they were in opposition,
they should also not harass us but if they want to harass us, then we
are ready. The only thing is that we are protecting the interest of
our state. we will continue to talk and say it as it is and we will
repeat whatever lapses we observe from the government to the public
especially Kwara that the politics is now volatile that incumbent have
really nothing to offer than the previous government they have
maligned… Their last statement was that anytime that this kind of
issue occurred again and I am detained, they will make sure I am
tortured and dealt with and I said there is no problem”.
He advised the APC government to allow vibrant opposition to thrive
for the benefit of the people of the state.
“One of the principal tenets of democracy is to provide a very vibrant
position and not necessarily to bring the government down but to
provide an alternative policy direction to the public and expose them
to what is right or wrong. Some politicians will always want to
deceive people but when you have vibrant opposition like the one we
tolerated during our time when we were in government, our people will
be better for it. This government should be tolerant and allow
opposition to spring and criticise them by pointing out their excesses
just as they were allowed to criticise the last government. That is
the only way the society can grow”.