▪️ Magistrate Faults Prolonged Detention
A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo has refused an application by the police to further remand Mrs. Kafayat Nurudeen, wife of Osun State NURTW Chairman and Accord chieftain, Alhaji Nurudeen Alowonle Wakeel, alongside five other persons, holding that there was no justification for their continued detention.
The ruling comes amid growing allegations by members of the public, political stakeholders and supporters of Governor Ademola Adeleke that certain elements within the Osun APC are deploying federal influence and security agencies to frustrate the Governor’s re-election bid ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
The development is also unfolding against the backdrop of persistent accusations of bias against the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Umar Abba Gotan, with critics alleging that the police command has maintained a questionable relationship with APC-aligned political actors and thugs operating within the state. The police authorities have not admitted to any such allegations.
Controversy had trailed the arrest of Mrs. Nurudeen and members of her family following reports that armed men allegedly led by notorious APC thug, Asiri Eniba, invaded the residence of Alhaji Nurudeen, fired gunshots sporadically and destroyed property during the operation.
Following public outrage, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that Mrs. Nurudeen was in police custody after her arrest.
Court documents obtained by journalists revealed that the police subsequently sought a remand order against six suspects, including two teenagers identified as Nurudeen Akeem and Nurudeen Robiu.
However, in a ruling delivered by Senior Magistrate O.A. Daramola, the court held that after reviewing the application, supporting affidavit, police investigation report and the case file, there was no sufficient basis for further detention.
The magistrate noted that police investigations had substantially been concluded and that the recommendation contained in the investigation report suggested that the suspects should be charged to court.
According to the ruling, there was “basically no reason to keep the Respondents in custody for no just cause.”
The court consequently refused the police application for remand and ordered the police to either immediately file charges against the suspects or release them from custody without delay.
Earlier, lawyers representing the family had petitioned the Commissioner of Police, describing the arrest and detention of Mrs. Nurudeen, her children and relatives as unlawful.
In the petition dated June 19, 2026, the lawyers alleged that police operatives arrested the family members after failing to locate Alhaji Wakeel during a search operation at his residence. They argued that arresting family members in place of a suspect amounted to an unconstitutional arrest by proxy and violated their fundamental rights.
The lawyers further demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees, including a minor, warning that legal action would be initiated if the alleged violation persisted.
The court’s decision has further heightened public scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of members of the Nurudeen’s family, particularly as political tensions continue to rise in Osun State ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Police Command had not publicly reacted to the court’s ruling.
