Ganiyu Olamiji Oyebanjo, the Special Adviser on Boundary Matters for Kosofe Local Government, continues to be held in Ikoyi Prison despite fulfilling the bail conditions set by a Lagos State Magistrate Court six days ago.
Oyebanjo was arrested by the Nigerian police on allegations of “theft and possession of classified documents.” His arrest, which took place on the orders of the council chairman, Moyosore Adedoyin Ogunlewe, occurred at approximately 9 PM last Tuesday. The whistleblower had earlier submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging the misappropriation of billions of naira by Ogunlewe and other council officials.
He was arraigned last Thursday before Chief Magistrate Olanrewaju Olatunji, who granted him bail set at N5 million, with two sureties. One surety was required to own landed property with a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in Lagos, while the other needed to have a minimum of N5 million in their bank account.
Despite meeting these conditions, Oyebanjo remains in custody due to the magistrate’s failure to sign the necessary bail documents. Sources report that the documents were presented to the magistrate shortly after 3 PM on Friday, but the court had closed for the day. Furthermore, the magistrate does not attend court sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays, delaying Oyebanjo’s release further. His brother’s attempts to secure his freedom at the Tinubu Magistrate Court on Monday were unsuccessful due to the magistrate’s unavailability.
This situation raises concerns over the fairness and efficiency of the judicial process, as well as potential abuses of power within the system.
Probitas News has learned that Oyebanjo’s petition to the ICPC accused Ogunlewe and other council officials of corruption, contract inflation, misappropriation of funds, and unlawful enrichment. Following this, the council chairman and his associates were summoned and questioned by the ICPC for several hours at its Lagos office.
Speaking before his arrest, Oyebanjo asserted that “the chairman had awarded contracts without due process and amassed multiple properties within a short period of assuming office.” He urged the ICPC to “verify Ogunlewe’s asset declaration records to ascertain discrepancies.”
Oyebanjo also alleged that “Ogunlewe has been attempting to prevent further investigations by influencing other council executives with financial incentives.” He expressed concern that “some executive members who were summoned by the ICPC have yet to appear for questioning, suggesting possible interference in the investigation.”
Despite these grave allegations, Oyebanjo’s continued detention raises questions about the rule of law and the protection of whistleblowers in Nigeria. His case underscores the challenges faced by individuals who expose corruption, as well as the need for judicial integrity in handling such cases.
