An Open Letter To Acting President Osinbajo On The Illegal Arrest And Detention Of Babatunde Gbadamosi

Your Excellency,

There are many signs of an irresponsible government and one clear one is the way it treats its citizens who are opponents of the government. You are not an irresponsible man and there is nothing so far in your action, comments or carriage since you have been piloting the affairs of this nation as the Acting President to indicate otherwise. However, it would seem some overzealous, agenda-driven state officials and security operatives want to tag you with a name that does not belong to you. We do not think you should let them.

Mr. Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi (BOG), a Lagos-based citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been in detention since Wednesday, 22nd of February, 2017. You would expect that immediately upon his arrest, the Department of State Security (DSS) would inform the world why they are doing it.

Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi

You would think they would question him and free him within 24 or 48 hours (on bail or unconditionally) or charge him to court for whatever offence they think he’s committed and allow the magistrate or judge determine if he’s entitled to bail. But, up till now we’ve heard nothing. Mr Gbadamosi is still held incommunicado in detention, the world does not know why they are keeping him there because the DSS isn’t saying anything and they just think this is okay.

Well, it’s not okay. They have to free him now. He’s a patriot, a businessman and a family man; he is not a criminal. Whatever the reason for the arrest, such a reason has been made otiose by the unlawful manner they have kidnapped and detained him since Wednesday, 22nd of February, 2017. He should immediately be released. If the DSS has any case, they should go to court after he’s been released. Mr Gbadamosi is an outstanding Nigerian with the courage of his conviction; he will not go anywhere, he will answer them in a proper court of law if they charge him there.

Sir, we are urging you to use your good offices to ensure that Mr Gbadamosi is released immediately. We know that this unlawful behaviour by the security services is something you feel strongly about. In fact, just a few weeks ago, Nigerians listened to you berate the Nigerian Police for keeping suspects in detention longer than legally permissible. You spoke at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice Stakeholders Summit through the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami who represented you at the occasion. You stated clearly that this practice is against our collective interest and urged practitioners and stakeholders to “make a firm commitment to tackle the problems by changing our attitude and standing up for what is right”. The DSS obviously hasn’t read the memo. This is an opportunity for you to show Nigerians that you really believe what you preached at that Summit.

Please, order the immediate release of Mr Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi and use that to send a clear message to all and sundry that a government that you head will not constitute itself into an enemy of the people.

Mr Gbadamosi should be set free unconditionally! He should be set free now!

Thank you in advance for treating this with the urgent attention it deserves!

God bless you! God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Yours faithfully,

Kennedy Emetulu

(For and on behalf of Concerned Nigerians).

Sahara Reporters