Police break into Adeleke's aide's home at 1am, drag him out in front of his wife

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force stormed the residence of Alalade Bukola Félix, also known as Machiavelli, Special Assistant on Media to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, around 1 a.m. on Monday. They broke down the door of his home in Osogbo and took him away, leaving his wife Folakemi and their family in distress.

In a voice note obtained by SaharaReporters, Alalade could be heard pleading with the officers, asking who they were and saying he would come out voluntarily. His wife Folakemi also begged them not to arrest him, but the officers reportedly shouted at her and warned her not to intervene. She told SaharaReporters, "They said they were policemen, because we asked them, 'Who are you?' They said they were policemen. They didn't even say from where. They were just banging the door that we should open, that they are policemen, they are policemen."

Folakemi said her husband was taken to State CID, Osogbo, and that no reason was given for his arrest. She appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the state police commissioner to intervene, saying, "They should please release my husband. All my family is in tension. Even me, I am vomiting, I am also purging. I am not okay. I have been running up and down since." This arrest comes just days before Saturday's governorship election, amid claims of a clampdown on opposition figures and supporters in Osun State. How can a state police command break into a man's home at 1 a.m. and seize him without a word of explanation, and we call this democracy?