Family demands for whereabouts, release of Oyo businessman allegedly arrested by military personnel

By SULEIMAN SHEHU

Family members of an Oyo Town based businessman, Alhaji Azeez Maruf Akintunde, allegedly arrested by military personnel, have demanded for the whereabouts and immediate release of their son.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Akintunde was allegedly arrested by personnel of the Operation Burst on Thursday in his residence at Alhaja Sara Street, Cele, in Oyo Town at about 6.00 a.m. and taking to unknown destination.

Operation Burst is a security outfit set up by Oyo State Government, consisting of personnel of Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to tackle crimes in the state.

One of Akintunde’s son, Mr Azeez Akbar, told NAN on Tuesday in Ibadan that his father was allegedly taken away on Thursday morning by the personnel in Army uniform and in mufti.

“My father was putting on towel when the Operation Burst personnel came to arrest him in his house at about 6.15 a.m. on Thursday.

“We, the family members, have to beg them before they allowed him to put on his cloth.

“Some of the personnel that came for the arrest worn Army uniform, while others were in mufti; my father challenged them to produce arrest warrant but they were unable to produce it.

“They later took him away without telling us his offence; if at all he had committed any offence, they should let us know and his whereabouts.

“He was first taken to Operation Burst office in Oyo Town and few minutes later he was blind folded and taking out of Operation Burst office to an unknown location.

“Since then, we have not heard from him or the Army of his whereabouts and offence,” Akbar said.

He said his father was an hypertensive patient, adding that his health condition might be worsen, if not allowed to take his drugs regularly or eat his prescribed type of food.

Akbar said that they have been to 2 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Ibadan; Mokola Police Station and other police stations in the state where they were told that he was not in their custody.

Another son, Adebayo Azeez, said the military personnel that came to arrest his father came with a Gulf car and three military vehicles with inscription “Operation Burst” led by Major (names witheld) from Ibadan office.

Azeez said that the personnel came back around 11.00 p.m of that Thursday with their father to pick up his phone and since then, the family do not know about his whereabouts.

“We have been to Operation Burst office in Oyo Town and what they told us was that they don’t know his whereabouts and that they only received signal from Abuja to provide logistics for the arrest.

“We appeal to the Operation to tell us the whereabouts of our father; we don’t know the allegations against him or his whereabouts since the arrest; they should please release him,” he said.

When contacted, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. I. O. Iweha, said that he was still making clarifications about the arrest. He, however, promised to get back to NAN.

“I am still making clarifications and trying to sort out some things. Don’t worry, I will get back to you,” he said.

However, Iweha has yet to get back to NAN as at the time of filing this reports at about 5.52 p.m. (NAN)