POLICE/SSS CLAIMS AND COUNTER CLAIMS OVER COMRADE OLAITAN OYERINDE’S MURDER IS A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT

COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION

OF PEOPLES MANDATE (CPPM)

26a Adesina Street, Off Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

E-mail: cppmandate@gmail.com

Telephone: 07033853232, 08023172694

24/08/12

PRESS STATEMENT

POLICE/SSS CLAIMS AND COUNTER CLAIMS OVER COMRADE OLAITAN OYERINDE’S MURDER IS A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) is deeply shocked, disappointed and embarrassed by the continued claim and counter claims by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the State Security Service (SSS) over the arrest of suspects linked to the murder of late comrade Olaitan Oyerinde which is nothing but a national embarrassment.

We are indeed saddened by the fact that these security agencies of the same federal government who are supposed to synergize and harmonize on security matters in order to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians seems to be working at cross purposes and against national interest. Once again, we are being embarrassed as a people in the comity of civilized countries by this act.

We are all living witness to how several murders including that of high profile persons like late Bola Ige, Harry Marshall, etc in the past have gone unresolved by the police even when they seemed to have raised our hopes of prosecuting some arrested suspects which at the end of the day came to naught. So we were very happy when the SSS paraded some arrested suspects linked to Oyerinde’s murder and the explanation of the agency on the case made sense and one had expected the police to take over the criminal prosecution of the suspects since its their constitutional responsibility, but were taken aback when the police came up with their counter claims of having another group of suspects in their custody whom they are yet to arraign in court but are rather maintaining that they are yet to conclude investigations.

The question we want to ask is that, since the police have the murder suspects in their custody, is it going to take eternity to conclude investigations on this matter? Also we want to ask, who is in charge of national security if two government security apparatus can be jeopardizing national security with conflicting signals on a matter in which we statutorily expect them to know better? Are we operating gangster’s security system in which there is rivalry and battle for supremacy? In view of the above posers, is anybody still in doubt as to the state of national insecurity by this show of shame?

With this national embarrassment by the Police and SSS, we are at a crossroad and have lost faith in the ability of the security agencies and are even suspicious that this controversy might be a ploy to bungle this case like previous ones.

CPPM is hereby calling on President Goodluck Jonathan, to immediately set up a commission of inquiry comprised of security experts with impeccable integrity to take over the investigation of comrade Olaitan Oyerinde’s murder with a view to identifying the real suspects who should be recommended for trial by the police within the shortest possible time.

Thanks,

Yours Sincerely,

Nelson Ekujumi,

Executive Chairman.