Matilda Omonaiye/
Ondo State commissioner of police (CP) Bolaji Salami, has explained the role played by the police to settle a rift between contending politicians who tried to drag him into their game at the government house.
Reacting to a trending video in which he was seen attending to Ondo State deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, on Saturday night, Salami said that he raced to the scene as a peacemaker on the invitation of the deputy governor who was having issues with the governor’s aides.
He said, “I won’t be involved in politics. My duty remains protection of lives and properties in the state. The police are peacemakers, and we achieved that.
“Though I vowed to police Ondo State and its people with humility, I will not allow the ego and sentiment of any individual dictate what form of policing style I should use.”
According to Salami, those who posted a viral video on the social media were being mischievous by presenting only a scene that doesn’t tell the true story of what was going on.
He said that he arrived at the scene to honour the invitation of the deputy governor who said he was being prevented by the aides of the governor, not the police, from moving his things out of his official quarters at the government house premises.
The police gave detailed explanation of the action of the CP in a statement issued by the spokesman of the state police command, Tee-Leo Ikoro.
He described the viral video as “an attempt to foment sentiment and misunderstanding”.
Salami explained that he had to intervene when officers at the government house could not broker peace between the aides of the governor and those of the deputy governor over the number of cars the deputy governor would drive out at the time.
Ikoro stated: “The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Salami Amidu Bolaji says Ondo Police Command under his policing architecture will never police lawlessness in the State against laid-down policing rules.”
Ikoro further explained that the presence of the CP at the scene calmed frayed nerves.
He stated: “Having listened to the reason for the misunderstanding, he advised both sides to come to terms, a condition they both agreed to.
“CP Salami Bolaji who said he had never been a politician all through his life and would not want to be dragged into politics affirmed that he is completely apolitical, and as a police officer, his job is to protect lives and property of citizens of Ondo State.
“He therefore advised the good people of Ondo that as the race to Ondo government house draws very close, politicians with interest in the race should learn to play their game with the dictate of its laws; and also advise their followers to shun any act capable of causing chaos or lawlessness in the state.”
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