Okiro deploys police to Ugbo-Nla to investigate attack on OBAT boss

Ayodele Adesanmi, Abuja - 23.03.2008

Sequel to the petition written to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, on the attack on Prince Obateru Akinruntan, which took place at Ugbo-Nla, Ondo State recently,a special squad has been deployed to the area for investigation.

Speaking on the issue, Okiro said that he had studied the letter and that investigations into the matter would soon commence.

Babalola,acting on behaif of Akinrutan, delivered the petition last week, but dated March 10, 2008. The letter, written by Babalola,and titled “Attempted Assassination of Prince Obateru Akinruntan,” said that it would be wrong for the IG if he refused to look into the criminal aspect of the attack.

The legal luminary said that while the police was initially eager to investigate the attack on his client, he was ,however, sad that the earlier enthusiasm had thinned out,but he was happy that sequel to the save our soul letter of 27 February, 2008, the police indeed mobilized fully to discharge their constitutional duty and moved to launch full scale investigation into the matter.

He said that though the governor of Ondo State , Dr. Olusegun Agagu, was free to set up a probe panel to look into the series of crises rocking the community, he said this should not stop the police from carrying out their duties.

According to him,“ there cannot be any doubt, the police have a statutory and constitutional duty to investigate crime and criminality without let or hindrance from any quarters ,no matter how highly placed or whose ox is gored,”

Babalola, who cited many cases that were decided by the Supreme Court to support his position, said that the enquiry set up by Ondo State cannot “displace, supercede, or override the statutory duties of the police under the constitution and the Police Act.