Detained Ekiti lawmaker regains freedom

Hon. Akani

A member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Afolabi Akanni, who was detained by the Department of State Security, has been released.

Akanni was released on Tuesday night in Abuja to a member of the House of Representatives from his constituency, Mr. Olamide Oni.Oni, who is a retired assistant commissioner of police, was asked to bring Akanni to the DSS in Abuja once in a week. 

It was further gathered that the detained state lawmaker was handed over to Oni on bail. The member of the House is also said to be a member of the committee set up by the House to investigate allegation that the men of the DSS invaded the Ekiti State House of Assembly, an allegation that was said to be untrue.

A source at the DSS headquarters said, “We have released him to the member of the House from his (Akanni’s) constituency.

“The lawmaker was instructed and asked to bring the suspect to our office once a week, and he agreed. That was the only condition attached to his bail.”

There was a rumour in Ekiti last week about the purported death of Akanni. This forced the DSS to parade him at its headquarters in Abuja where Akanni debunked the rumour making the rounds in his state that he had died.

Akanni  spoke with journalists at the premises of the national headquarters of the DSS in Abuja on Thursday. Akanni was arrested by the operatives of the Service over sundry allegations. He was said to be answering questions on issues bothering on the originality of secondary school certificate, the blockage of Efon Alaaye -Itawure Road which led to the death of one Modupe Karimu, aka Eleyele during an alleged attempt to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose by the state lawmakers.

Before the last general election, members of the All Progressive Congress dominated the State House of Assembly.

On Thursday last week, Akanni spoke after a representative of DSS, Mr. Abdullahi Garuba spoke with journalists. Akanni said he was sick.

“I’m not dead. I’m alive, but I’m sick. I have malaria. I have done a test,” he had told our correspondent.

There was however a mild drama when Akanni was asked to walk up to the podium and speak with journalists. Akanni, who had earlier walked in with an operatives unaided, refused to stand up from his seat. He refused every persuasion from the journalists and the operatives on the need for him to speak with the journalists.

“I’m thirsty. I’m not feeling fine. I don’t know why I’m here,” he said.

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