Comrade Musbaudeen Esinrogunjo, a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, got more than he bargained for after he allegedly beat up a traffic warden in Ilorin, the state capital.
The Governor’s aide allegedly assaulted a Traffic Warden who stopped him while driving against traffic on his way to Government House, Ilorin.
A viral video of how the governor’s aide was beaten by policemen went viral on Sunday.
In the clip, the SSA was seen being beaten by some police officers who surrounded him, while he was made to display some seized items.
But while the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, said he was arrested for assault and traffic offence, the state chapter of PDP called for the prosecution of the governor’s aide for alleged possession of hard drug and ammunition.
According to Okasanmi, “What actually transpired in the day was that the man in the video later identified to be one Musibau Esinrogunjo was caught committing a traffic offence by driving against traffic, thereby causing a serious traffic hold-up at NYSC Secretariat junction, Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin.
“The traffic warden on duty who arrested him for the offence was dealt a slap by Mr Esinrogunjo and his aide, which drew the anger of passers-by around the vicinity.
“They attempted to physically assault him but for the prompt arrival of police officers that rescued and took the parties to the police headquarters.
“A search conducted in the vehicle of Mr Esinrogunjo resulted in the recovery of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp and an item that looked like a cartridge wrapped with charm.
“The incident was looked into by a very senior police officer in the command, Esinrogunjo was later identified to be Special Assistant to the state governor. The matter was treated in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He was warned to desist from such behavior in future. The traffic warden assaulted by the Esinrogunjo was pacified and asked to go back to his duty post while Esinrogunjo was also released.
“At no time was the suspect Esinrogunjo arrested for being in possession of weeds or bullet. It was a case of driving against the traffic and physically assaulting a police man that brought him to the police headquarters.
“The Command has nothing to do with the video in circulation. The case had been satisfactorily dealt with”, Okasanmi explained.
But in a statement, Hon. Babatunde Muhammed, Chairman of Kwara PDP, called for the prosecution of Esinrogunjo, adding that the matter must not be swept under the carpet.
“The statement by the Kwara Police Command on the incident is a smoke-screen to hide the truth from the public. This is an attempt by the police to cover Esinrigunjo and shield from prosecution, is uncalled for and should be condemned.
“We are thereby calling on the Police authorities to order proper prosecution of the Governor’s aide. He must also be prosecuted for other infractions he has allegedly committed like breaking traffic rules and physical assault on a traffic warden,” the statement read in part.
But Esinrogunjo accused the police of persecuting him over the matter.
“I was mercilessly beaten by over 50 Police Officers and locked up in a cell from around 6pm to about 9am the second day when people from the government house came to bail me even after the Traffic Warden came and told them that he is not interested in making the case,” he added.
