Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, has dismissed the claim by former National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, that he has crucial information regarding the murder of Chief Bola Ige as a complete falsehood.
In a recent interview, Akande also said Ladoja entered a no case submission with the suspects accused of assassinating the ex-Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
But the ex-governor has denied the allegation, saying old age has probably affected the memory of the former Osun Governor to remember what happened during the period.
Ladoja wondered why Akande, who said he knew many things about the assassination that he would not disclose, did not tell the public what exactly surrounded the killing of the former AGF on December 23, 2001.
Ladoja, next in the hierarchy to the Olubadan of Ibadan, said this when speaking with reporters in his Bodija residence in Ibadan.
Speaking in an interview with Edmund Obilo, Akande suggested that Ladoja might have important information about Ige’s killing.
He alleged that Ige was killed by the government and described his death as a “state murder” — but never affirmed a specific person who murdered the latter.
Akande claimed Ladoja withdrew a case related to the murder that had initially been pursued by his predecessor, Lam Adesina.
“I was the chief security officer of Osun state at the time, not Oyo state. Lam Adesina was the chief security officer of Oyo state and he went to court and the governor that took over from him, Ladoja, withdrew the case from court. He might be able to tell you more, he might know more than I know do,” Akande said.
“There are many things that die with people. I know Lam Adesina went to court over the matter, and I also know his successor, (Rashidi) Ladoja, withdrew the case. Ask Ladoja; he would know more about Bola Ige’s death.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain also expressed regret that Adesina had confided in him about certain details he could no longer disclose.
Akande noted that key figures, including Adesina, the former Oyo state governor, who could have shed more light on the case, had passed away.
“Because there are many things you don’t want to tell the public. I don’t want to tell anybody. Now Bola Ige is dead, and Lam Adesina too is dead, so who will be my witness? Nobody,” he added.
‘I Didn’t Withdraw The Case’
Addressing journalists at his residence in Ibadan, Ladoja described Akande’s claims as false.
He said that the case was pursued up to the supreme court during his tenure, and denied ever having withdrawn any charges.
“Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001. I became governor on May 29, 2003, which was 18 months before my tenure began,” Punch quoted Akande as saying.
“I didn’t withdraw the case; my government didn’t withdraw any case. The case was even prosecuted till apex court, Chief Akande lied against me. This is not the first time people said he lied; someone like Baba Adebanjo even said he lied in his book.
“We are not all happy as a result of Chief Bola Ige’s death, and we are all concerned about his death. I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while alive.”
In 2016, former President Muhammadu Buhari ordered that the investigation into the murder be reopened, but there has been little progress since.
