Osun SSG Denies Coercion Allegation by Accord Member, Insists Claims Are False
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
The Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Bobagunwa Teslim Igbalaye, has dismissed allegations by an Accord Party member, Taoreed Faronbi, that he was forced to make confessional statements during a visit to the SSG’s residence.
Reacting to a video released by Faronbi, the SSG, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Digital Communication, Kehinde Adeoye, described the allegation as “false, baseless and a complete misrepresentation” of what transpired during the meeting.
According to the statement, Faronbi was brought to Igbalaye’s residence by leaders of Accord Party, Ward 8, Osogbo Local Government Area, after informing them that he had been attacked. The statement said he arrived with visible injuries and was bleeding.
“The Secretary to the State Government’s immediate concern was his health and wellbeing. He promptly offered to facilitate medical attention through the appropriate medical personnel,” the statement said.
It added, however, that Faronbi declined the offer, insisting that the individual who allegedly removed bullets from his body had instructed him not to receive any medical treatment or injections until after three or four days.
The statement said that in view of the seriousness of the allegations made by Faronbi, the SSG advised him to report the matter to the Nigeria Police Area Command for proper investigation.
“During the visit, Mr. Faronbi freely narrated his account of events. At no point was he threatened, intimidated, pressured or coerced into making any confession or statement. The atmosphere throughout the interaction was one of concern, empathy and support, as everyone present was focused on his wellbeing and on ensuring that the matter was handled through the appropriate legal channels,” the statement added.
The SSG expressed surprise over Faronbi’s subsequent claim that he was compelled to make confessional statements, insisting that the allegation was entirely false.
“It is therefore shocking that Mr. Faronbi has now turned around to allege that the Secretary to the State Government compelled him to make those confessions. That claim is entirely false and should be disregarded by the public,” the statement said.
The statement also maintained that Faronbi remains a recognised member of Accord Party, Ward 8, Osogbo Local Government Area, noting that neither the ward leadership nor the party had received any formal letter of resignation from him.
“As of this moment, neither the ward leadership nor the party has received any formal letter of resignation from him. Accordingly, our records show that he remains a member of Accord Party, notwithstanding the fact that communication with him became limited following the unfortunate incident,” it stated.
Defending Igbalaye’s conduct, the statement described him as a public servant with a reputation for integrity, responsibility and respect for the rule of law.
“High Chief Igbalaye had no interest other than ensuring that an injured citizen received medical attention and that his allegations were reported to the appropriate security authorities for investigation. Any attempt to portray those lawful and humanitarian actions as coercion is a deliberate distortion of the facts,” the statement concluded.
