The Ogun State House of Assembly on Thursday raised concerns over the continued detention of its member representing Sagamu Constituency I, Damilare Bello, by the Department of State Services.
Bello was reportedly arrested in the wake of the cult killings in Sagamu on Wednesday, September 20, by the operatives of the DSS in a sting operation in his residence within the Legislative quarters, Abeokuta.
The DSS officers were said to have been spurred to carry out the raid having gotten a tip-off that the lawmaker was allegedly shielding some wanted cultists in his official quarters.
The DSS was said to have found six fleeing suspected cultists allegedly said to have been involved in the cult killings in Sagamu in the lawmaker’s official residence.
It was also reported that many dangerous weapons, including guns, were allegedly found during the sting operation.
Reacting to the arrest of the lawmaker, the opposition party accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of using the DSS operatives to harass the opposition
The Assembly has however passed a resolution requesting the release of the detained lawmaker from DSS custody pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The passage of the resolution followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye, and supported by other lawmakers through a voice vote at a plenary presided over by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Earlier in their submissions, the members advocated for the bail of the detained lawmaker, explaining that the security agency could continue with its investigation while not depriving the lawmaker of his constitutional duty of representing his constituency.
They noted that since whatever he was alleged was bail-able; administrative bail could be granted to the lawmaker to allow him to continue to represent his constituency pending the conclusion of the investigation rather than allow him to remain in custody for over two weeks.
Also, the Ogun State Assembly, on Thursday, passed a resolution directing the state government to lift the ban earlier imposed on all the union activities of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
The passage of the resolution followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by the Minority Leader, Adeleye Lukman, and supported by the whole House through a unanimous voice vote.
The union had been banned from operating in the state for about four years due to a leadership crisis.
The passage of the motion followed contributions of the Chairman, House Committee on Transportation, Oludaisi Elemide who recounted the crisis that led to the ban of the union by the 9th legislature.
He noted that members of the union had since been maintaining peace.
In his response, Speaker Oluomo stated that lifting the ban was now imperative following the peaceful conduct of the Union members and their better understanding of the rule of law in the promotion of a peaceful atmosphere and societal orderliness.
In another development, Oluomo equally said that the house has received a list of additional three commissioner-nominees from Governor Abiodun.
Oluomo said the nominees included Olatunji Odunlami, Wasiu Isiaka, and Funmi Efuwape.
The nominees, the Speaker said, are to appear before the lawmakers for screening by 10 am on Monday, October 9, 2023 with 30 copies of their curriculum vitae.
