Kwara leading blogger, Sholyment, 2 others narates ordeal after release from prison

By Mike Adeyemi
The embattled three online critics of the Kwara State Government, Kayode Ogunlowo, Saka Babatunde and Olusegun Olusola Adewara, aka Shollyments have regained their freedom, eight days after they have been detained at Oke-Kura Correctional Centre, National Pilot learnt.
The three accused were detained over a Nairaland story indicting the elder sister of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, Senator Khairat Gwadabe and the authority of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) in a financial scandal.
Narrating his ordeal in the prison while answering questions from our reporter on Thursday, Kayode Ogunlowo, an APC caucus member turned critic, described his experience as very sad and regretted to have worked for the emergence of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the last poll.
“I received a phone call from the police headquarters that I should make myself available at their office. As I got there, I was showed a petition against my personality that has to do with the Kwara State Ministry of Justice over an online publication.
“I told them that I was not the originator of the said story that I saw it on Nairaland platform and I had shared it on my Facebook page. The police queried us that why can’t we verify such a news before we shared which I replied that this is not my first time of sharing news of such on my platform, ” Ogunlowo said.
Continuing,’ while I was at the police custody, I met my colleagues Shollyments and we were asked to write a statement.’
“We were later charged to court after which we sought for the services of our lawyers. While in the court, the prosecuting lawyer asked for the withdrawer of the case which the judge obliged.
“As we were about to take our leave from the court premises and people around the court started to jubilate, officials of the Nigerian Police said we could not go and they rearrested us again which caused people to want to lay siege on them.
“The following Monday, we were taken back to the Magistrate Court and the judge said we should be remanded at Oke-Kura Prison,” he said.
He added that though his prison experience was saddened and horrible, moderate treatment was meted on him and his two other colleagues.
“We spent eight days in the prison amidst over 32 inmates. Having queried us what brought us and we explained, the inmates showed courtesy on us and we were not manhandled.
“I have never experienced such a prison moment in my life. It was indeed sad moment for me. I slept on bare floor with mosquito bites for eight days. I ate bread throughout my stay. I didn’t pray for people to undergo such horrible experience.
“I kept imagine that, is this the best way for this government to reward me despite I fought tooth and nail for its emergence in the 2019 elections. I supported the governor since his primary election, but he started misbehaving after he got to power. I regretted voting for AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“The next Court hearing is slated for August 18. We would be there with our lawyers. Again, I feel sad that a government I worked for could treat me this way, “Ogunlowo lamented.
Also speaking, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, aka Shollyments, described the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led government as draconian and tyranny.
“It was a mixed feeling at first when the remand order was declared by his Lordship. I felt so shocked because I had presumed the offences leveled against me fall under bailable ones. But since the court has taken a stand, I quickly put myself together knowing fully that granting and not granting bail is at sole discretion of the court.
“However, the reality dawn on me when the prison officials marched me alongside my two casemates to a waiting vehicle and headed straight to the Correctional Centre. Inside me, in one mind, I felt sad that my freedom had been seized by the state. On the other hand, I felt so glad that I’m becoming a prisoner of the people and not a prisoner of crime,” he said.
Reacting to whether he was rough handled by the inmates at the prison, Shollyments said normal regard was accorded to him and two others in the prison.
“The inmates, upon our entry to the cell were magnanimous enough to ask what brought us to the prison. Immediately we detailed them with explanation, they began to treat us as special people.
“In fact, it amazed us to see that inmates were telling us how disappointing they were in the current leadership of the state which they claimed had dashed hope of everybody who worked for change in 2019.
“The moment had afforded me the opportunity to explore the other side of life which I think is necessary to guide me in my political journey and life generally.
“The only sad part is getting us remanded not because our offences were too grievous but because those behind our travails believe they have all the instruments of state in their possession and they can use it anyhow that suits them.
“There is nothing that can be compared to one’s freedom which of course was taken from me. For over a week, I could not attend to my business, personal matters and I was kept away from my family, no access to my phones and computers but all the same, it’s part of the prices we had to pay for our dear state, ” he added.
X- raying further how his fundamental right was trapped upon by both the police and the Kwara State government, Shollyments said the constitution do not allow police to detain person beyond 48 hours.
“I walked to the police station around 10am on Monday 26th of July and I was in police custody until evening of Wednesday 28th of July when I was released on bail. I’m not a lawyer but I know that both the Constitution and police Act of 2020 did not give Police power to detain more than 48 hours without a court order.
“Section 35 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution states that the police may not detain any suspect for longer than 48 hours without a court order, apart from this, the Police Act of 2020 also agrees with the Constitution.
“Let me say that my detention by police did not only infringe on my human right but also to the provisions of Constitution as well as Police Act of 2020.
“AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led Government is not only draconian but vindictive and spiteful. This is expected since the real indices of governance are absent, they do not have anything meaningful to put to table.
“A serious minded leader who’s conscious of the numerous challenges before him in government will not stoop low to be running after those who share opinion on Facebook,” the political critic stressed.
In his reaction, Saka Olusola Babatunde said he was disappointed in this government and kept imagine that a government he worked for could send him to the prison.
“It is sad that we have voted a wrong person in Kwara. Bukola Saraki was not this bad. The former Senate President is more matured and tolerant despite media propaganda against his personality and government then.
“There was never a case of Saraki arresting or intimidating people around like this ‘one chance’ government. Saraki is civil, learned and well matured. I regretted shouldering the emergence of AbdRahman AbdulRazaq in the last poll, ” Babatunde said.
He added that there is way he would describe his ordeal, having undergone such inhuman treatment from the government.
“We thank God for everything. Human being will always remain human being. Once we are not a criminal and we didn’t commit any crime, we were well treated at the prison.
“I ate bread and eggs. The former Speaker, Hon. Ali Ahmad visited us during the period. Ditto the PDP Chairman, Kola Shittu and PDP Women Leader, Oganija.
“Others who visited us at the prison included APC factional chairman, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB), Hon. Saheed Popoola, Hon. Agboola amongst others.
“We are just a political prisoners and when all these people are with us, we are so glad. The person that stood for my surety, I don’t know him,” he said.
While speaking with the accused’s lawyer, Barr. Oloyede Balogun, he said though the case is still pending before the court of law and has limited thing to say in that regard.
“The matter is still pending before the court and in such instance, we have limited interfering. The only thing we can say now is what the next step would be.
“The next thing now is, we have put for the adjournment for hearing of the allegation. It is now left for the state who alleges them to explain beyond reasonable doubt before the Court. And if it fails to do so, my clients will be discharged,” Balogun affirmed.
It would be recalled that a Nairaland report had last month surfaced online, alleging that the Management of Kwara State Internal Revenue Services (KWIRS) gave N150,000,000 secretly to one Senator Khairat Gwadabe, a blood sister to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq during the Sallah celebration.
The report has it that this is coming when the state government is yet to pay salaries of local government and SUBEB employees leaving workers in those sectors in gross state of uncertainties having justified that the alleged N150million Naira package for Senator Khairat Gwadabe was enough to pay five thousand local government workers who are on monthly salary of N30,000.