A Nigerian lawmaker, Bamidele Salam, has criticized the police for their handling of an incident involving a local government worker in Osun State. The worker, Taiwo Adebayo, was allegedly caught attempting to leave the secretariat with files containing documents, but Salam claims he was on lawful duty following a directive from the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to resume work after an 11-month strike.
According to Salam, who represents Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Adebayo was detained and publicly humiliated by the police, which he described as unconstitutional. The lawmaker alleged that a former council chairman, Issa Akinwale, who was sacked by court judgments, supervised the incident with police backing.
The police have been involved in similar incidents at local government secretariats in Osun State, sparking concerns about their neutrality and adherence to court rulings. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State has threatened to embark on industrial action over the alleged harassment of its members by the police.
In a related development, a staff member of Boluwaduro local government council, Felicia Olaojo, was arrested by security operatives while allegedly attempting to smuggle government items and official documents out of the secretariat. The Osun State Police Command has not confirmed or denied the arrests, stating that it has yet to receive reports on the matter.
The NLC has condemned the police actions, describing them as unacceptable and an attempt to destabilize the state. The union has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of pushing to plunge Osun into crisis, and has vowed to resist the alleged harassment of its members legally and lawfully.
The development comes after the NULGE announced its decision to resume work on Monday, January 5, 2026, following an 11-month strike. The strike was sparked by deadly violence between supporters of the Osun APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over control of the local government secretariats.
The Osun State Police Command has warned that it will not tolerate anyone causing trouble at the council, regardless of their political affiliation. The command’s public relations officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that the police will maintain law and order in the state. The situation remains tense, with the NLC and the police at loggerheads over the alleged harassment of local government workers.
