I have nothing to do with arrest of Kwara youths - Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has debunked the allegation that he orchestrated the recent arrest of some youths in Kwara State by the Police.

In a statement signed on Thursday by his Special Assistant, Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said that he “vehemently rejects this accusation”. He noted that he had nothing to do with the arrest of the youths.

“The attention of the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has been drawn to the accusation by the Kwara South Youths Stakeholders that he orchestrated the recent arrest by the police of some youths in the Kwara South.

“The Honorable Minister vehemently rejects this accusation. He has nothing to do with the arrest of the youths in Kwara South and believes – contrary to the allegation by the stakeholders – that the arrest has nothing to do with the Ward Congress in his hometown of Oro. Afterall, suspected cultists were also recently arrested and paraded by the police in Ilorin.”

The statement added further that the police, in the exercise of its constitutional responsibility, does not need to be goaded by anyone to carry out arrests where necessary.

Concerning the outcome of the election in his Oro Ward 2, Mohammed said he has made his observations on the conduct of the election known to the appropriate party authorities, in line with his belief in the rule of law.

“The only credible Ward election was the one held by the genuine party members in Oro Ward 2. That explains why, after the election, there was a rally around Oro Town that eventually terminated in the country home of the Hon. Minister. He does not believe there is any linkage between the election and the arrests,” he added.

The Minister stressed that he did not believe there was any linkage between the election and the arrests.

Kwara South Youths stakeholders had earlier accused the Minister of conniving with the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) of arresting seven youths due to the alleged frustration of the Minister losing the last ward congress.