Police arrest union scribe for alleged subversion
From Charles Coffie Gyamfi Abeokuta
THE Police in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday arrested the Administrative Secretary of the Senior Civil Servants Association of Nigeria, Mr. Seyi Adebanjo, for allegedly "engaging in activities likely to undermine the state government."
As at 12.30 p.m. yesterday, he was still being detained at the police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
The command's spokesman, Mr. Olufemi Awoyale, confirmed that Adebanjo was in their custody, insisting that he was not arrested but "just being questioned."
A source disclosed to The Guardian that Adebanjo was invited on Wednesday by a top government official to the Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office of the governor "for discussion" over a letter the labour scribe had written concerning some claims by Governor Gbenga Daniel over ghost workers.
After the "discussion", Adebanjo headed for his car but was accosted and arrested by the police who drove him to their headquarters.
The letter dated June 15, with the title "Phantom N240 million in six months", insisted that the governor's allegation that close to N50 million was being saved monthly from computerisation of salaries of civil servants was "far from the truth."
The letter read in parts:
"While we waited in vain for your Excellency or some members of the Executive Council to correct the wrong statement, the claim was further accentuated by one of the consultants, Mr. Kola Abe, while briefing newsmen recently."
The letter further alleged that the consultant, among other things, claimed that the government had "successfully eliminated ghost workers in the civil service, saving over N40 million monthly."
"It is highly regrettable that the patience of the state civil servants has been pushed to the limit despite being buffeted by starvation wage, high taxation and cut-throat housing policy, etc," the letter had stated, adding:
"In view of the damage the claim and publication have caused the psyche of the state civil servants, we hereby give the government seven days from the date of this letter within which to amend the false information or the association will be forced to react."
The workers explained that the governor's claim had impugned on their integrity and depicted them as thieves who steal N40 million monthly.
The police spokesman confirmed the story but insisted that Adebanjo was only invited for questioning.
