Osun State Government reaffirms commitment to asset recovery

 

• retrieves vehicles from Ex-Amotekun Field Commander.

The Asset Recovery Committee set up by the state government has commenced retrieval of state assets illegally carted away by top officials of the previous administration.

The Committee under the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye started field operations yesterday after compliance with required due process as required by law and in compliance with its mandate.

On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Osun State government inaugurated a special Asset Recovery Task Force to reclaim government project vehicles and other assets taken by officials of the previous administration.

This initiative followed the release of a white paper from the Asset Recovery Committee, which was established by Governor Ademola Adeleke through an executive order on November 27, 2022, the day of his inauguration.

The task force was mandated to “ensure immediate recovery” of the assets. During the inauguration, Head of Service Mr. Ayanleye Aina who represented Governor Ademola Adeleke emphasized the committee’s role in implementing the asset recovery report and retrieving the assets taken by officials of the previous administration.

On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye held a press conference in Osogbo where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to recovering properties believed to have been misappropriated by political appointees of the former Adegboyega Oyetola administration.

Igbalaye stressed that the Asset Recovery Task Force was not intended to target individuals but to recover all misappropriated assets.

He explained that the Task Force was scrutinizing which vehicles and assets were lawfully taken and which were not. According to Igbalaye, under the previous administration, political appointees could retain their official vehicles if they had served at least two years, paid a specified amount to the government, and if the vehicle was less than four years old, paid 10% of its residual value.

However, the Task Force determined that while the previous Executive Governor’s approvals for vehicle releases followed due process, a letter from the former Head of Service allowing political appointees to keep their vehicles was deemed illegal.

Igbalaye dismissed claims from the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) that the asset recovery efforts were vindictive, asserting that all government assets and vehicles not legally retained by the previous administration’s officials must be recovered.

In an effort to carry out its mandate, the task force paid a visit to the residence of the immediate past Osun Amotekun Field Commander, Comrade Amitolu Shittu in the early hours of Monday, 29th July, 2024, recovering one out of three vehicles illegally possessed by him.

It should be put on record that the operation conducted at Amitolu’s residence was a lawful and necessary measure to retrieve vehicles and assets unlawfully retained by him from his tenure as the Osun Amotekun Field Commander.

During his term, Amitolu was known to have illegally possessed several vehicles that belonged to the government, which had not been returned despite repeated requests.

It is important to note that the operation was conducted in accordance with legal protocols and was intended to recover these assets for the benefit of the state. The involvement of the Osun Security Joint Task Force (JTF) and Amotekun Corps was part of a coordinated effort to ensure the recovery process was handled efficiently and securely.

Amitolu’s claim of the exercise being a violation of privacy and an act of political persecution is a smokescreen to divert attention from his own legal and ethical breaches.

His assertions that the operation was a premeditated attempt to silence him are baseless and reflect his attempt to politicize a straightforward asset recovery process.

Moreover, the vehicles in question were clearly documented as state property, and there is substantial evidence to support their recovery. Amitolu’s challenge to provide documents and his threat to seek legal redress are attempts to obfuscate the clear facts and delay justice.

The government’s actions were fully justified, and the call for scrutiny by security agencies should be directed towards ensuring transparency in all operations, including those involving Amitolu’s activities.

This recovery effort is part of a broader commitment to accountability and good governance, which the state administration remains dedicated to upholding.