By Safiyat Muhammed, Ibadan
The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan is set to rule on the bail application for two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Kazeem Rasheed Olofin and Mr. Ismail Jamiyu, who have been detained since March 2024 on what has been described as a politically motivated murder charge.
Presiding over the matter, Hon. Justice Olusola Adebisi Adetujoye of Court 11 expressed dismay at the consistent delays in responding to the bail application by the state’s legal counsel. The court was informed that the delays were allegedly orchestrated under the directive of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Bayo Lawal.
The state counsel reportedly apologized in open court for failing to respond to the application in a timely manner, effectively stalling the bail process for months. Justice Adetujoye is now expected to deliver a ruling on the bail application on Monday, April 28, 2025.
According to sources, Olofin and Jamiyu were arrested on March 25, 2024, shortly after a political meeting with Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal. Allegedly, the APC chieftains refused a proposal to decamp to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a decision that reportedly infuriated the Deputy Governor.
It was further alleged that the murder for which the two men were charged occurred on March 28, 2024—three days after their detention—raising questions about the legitimacy of the charges.
The Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has condemned the detention, calling it an abuse of power and a blatant violation of constitutional rights. Pastor Micheal Agassi, Assistant General Secretary of CHRSJ, described the arrests as illegal, unconstitutional, and politically motivated.
“This is not just an injustice against two men but against the democratic values enshrined in our Constitution,” Pastor Agassi said, citing Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution which mandates the state to abolish all forms of corruption and abuse of power.
The rights group also recalled that the detained APC leaders were part of the political structure of former Deputy Governor Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, who defected to the APC in the final phase of Governor Seyi Makinde’s first term. The two chieftains, hailing from Igboho in Oorelope LGA, reportedly share a political base with Deputy Governor Lawal, who is from Kishi in Irepo LGA.
CHRSJ further alleged that repeated efforts to secure bail for the detained politicians had been frustrated by the Oyo State Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice.
With Justice Adetujoye now scheduled to hear the bail application on Monday, civil society organizations and political observers are watching closely to see if the judiciary will uphold the rule of law and ensure justice is served.
