Akeredolu accuses soldiers of inducing jailbreaks in Ondo

• Ondo PDP sues gov, alleges financial misconduct
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has condemned the withdrawal of officers of the Nigerian Army from Correctional Centres and accused the Army of inducing jailbreaks in the state.

Akeredolu, who received a briefing of the situation from the Commissioner of Police (CP), Oyediran Oyeyemi, expressed concern that the action could encourage jailbreaks in the state and other parts of the country.

A statement issued in Akure, yesterday, by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Richard Olatunde, wondered why soldiers would be withdrawn from correctional centres, which belong to the Federal Government.

“Akeredolu received reports from Oyeyemi that soldiers attached to the correctional centres in the state have been withdrawn. This came as a surprise, considering that the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Correctional Centres belong to the Federal Government.

“The governor was even more bothered about the effect of the withdrawal of soldiers on the security situation in the state. More so, that such action could easily encourage jailbreaks across the state.

“It is, however, pertinent to alert members of the public and the Federal Government of the unwholesome situation. Findings in the remote cause of the action, has only revealed that it was an order from above without details.

“The situation not withstanding, efforts have been made to secure the centres, so as not to allow premeditated jailbreaks, as whoever ordered the withdrawal of those soldiers was in the process of encouraging such,” the statement reads.

The Guardian learnt that the state government met heads of other security agencies, particularly the police charging them to step up their responsibility of internal security in the state.

Similarly, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which is mandated to secure Federal Government facilities, deployed officers to the correctional centres, while Akeredolu also ordered the deployment of Amotekun marshals to complement the police and the NSCDC.

MEANWHILE, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dragged Akeredolu and his family to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial misconduct.

In a statement issued by Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei in Akure, yesterday, it accused Akeredolu and his family of registering eight private companies to siphon public funds.

Peretei had accused the governor, his wife and son, Babajide of plots to use several pet projects and pseudo companies to award contracts to their families and cronies.

He alleged that Babajide, who was recently appointed Director of Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPIMU), receives N500, 000 daily from operators in the state forests.

He said: “The widely advertised Sunshine Countdown Concert was anchored by Akeredolu’s son-in law, Michael Olatunde, while the state Ministry of Information parted with N500 million,” among other allegations of financial recklessness.