Osun govt raises alarm over armed impostors, threat to state officials

Osun State Government has alleged that impostors posing as federal government agents are harassing state officials.

It also alleged that the impostors, who are armed, have reportedly attacked personnel of the Osun State Internal Revenue Service and also hijacked land belonging to the Osun State Government.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, obtained by newsmen, the State government added that the impostors were operating within the state backed by some compromised security agents who are obviously providing cover for them.

While noting that the state government was ready to cooperate with the federal government agencies operating in the state for the betterment of Osun citizenry, it also warned against any encroachment on assets belonging to the state.

The statement reads, “The Osun State Government is constrained to bring to the attention of the public the appearance of some illegal operators stopping revenue collection activities, hijacking state land and frustrating lawful operations of officials of the state government.

“The illegal operators, who parade themselves as ‘Federal Monitoring’, patrol forest reserves belonging to the Osun State Government and prevent state officials from conducting lawful businesses of generating revenues.

“We are concerned to note that these brazen and illegal activities have the backing of some compromised security agents who are obviously providing cover for them.”

Maintaining that the incursions by the impostors was crude, unconstitutional and unacceptable, the government also called on the police authority to fish out officers involved in the act.

“We strongly condemn the violence visited on state officials while discharging their lawful duties by illegal operators with the active participation of some compromised security agents.

“We call on the police authority to fish out officers involved in this despicable act that threatens not just the peace of Osun State but also its economic stability.

“It is for this reason that we call on the relevant federal agencies to look into the activities of their agents in Osun State and ensure that they do not involve themselves in illegality or economic sabotage of Osun State,” the government said.