Report of the Investigation Regarding Involvement of SRJ in Siting of NAF Base on Disputed Land between Osogbo and Iragbiji:
On January 9, 2023, a voice-video clip with still images was circulated in the WhatsApp’s platform of the Osogbo Professionals’ Initiatives/Association (OPI/OPA) with significant allegations regarding siting of the Nigerian Airforce Base, Osogbo on a piece of disputed land between Osogbo and Iragbiji. In this voice-video clip, a voice believed to be that of Alhaji Munir Raji pointed an accusing finger at Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru (SRJ), the incumbent senator representing the Osun State Central Senatorial District including Osogbo.
| In the aforementioned voice-video clip, Alhaji Munir Raji said, in part, “…Sugbon, ni igba awa mo, a dupe lodo Olorun wipe Olorun ni ki a ri ija yen ja. Ka ri gbe pada wa si ori inu ile Osogbo eyi ti o wa ni oni ni waju Osun State University ti o koju si Yidi ati Federal Secretariat ni Ibokun Road. O si bani ni inu je lati gbo wipe ki Suraju o so wipe ni inu nkan meta ti won nko bo wa si Osogbo, pe remedial college ti wa ni Osogram. Ikan ti wa ni Ido Osun. Edakun, se Osogbo ni Ido Osun? Ni airport ni Ido Osun. Pe, ti won ba ko nkan meta wa, ti won ba gbe ikan lo si Iragbiji, iyen Baracks ti won gbe lo si Iragbiji. Pe, se iyen ti po ju ni? Mo wa fe ki gbogbo awon eyan ni Osogbo ki won lo wo ohun ti omo wa ni ki won gbe lo Iragbiji. Ki e lo wo ni Oke Baale, ni iwaju Federal Secretariat tabi ni waju Yidi tuntun. E lo si Oso ki e lo wo blocks merin ti won renovate, to ni won ti se remedial kini. Se eyun ni o to si awa?”
The allegation here was that Senator SRJ influenced the initial siting of the Osogbo Nigeria Airforce Base to the aforementioned land in dispute between Osogbo and Iragbiji. This allegation was similar to the allegation against former Governor Oyetola and Senator SRJ that they both influenced the siting of this Air Force Barack to the aforementioned disputed land, serious allegation that was making the rounds ahead of July 16th, 2022 gubernatorial election in Osun State which affected voting choices of many citizens of Osogbo. |
Considering the seriousness of this allegation and how such may affect the voting choices of citizens of Osogbo during the forthcoming election of February 25, 2023, the OPI/OPA decided to investigate this allegation in attempt to set the record straight.
Four stakeholders were contacted and interviewed. These were Barrister Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, SAN (KRad); Alhaji Munir Raji; Chief Ajadi Badmus, the Asiwaju of Osogboland and Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, PhD (SRJ).
Findings:
Chief Ajadi Badmus reported that he was the one that coopted KRad when it was necessary to relocate the Nigeria Air Force Base (Barack) from the aforementioned disputed land to the land own indisputably by Osogbo.
KRad reported that during of his intervention in the activities for relocating the Barack from the disputed land to its current location, he learnt from reliable source that the initial decision to site the Barack on the aforementioned disputed land was purely based on decision of the Nigerian Air Force guided by a number of factors and that neither SRJ nor the former Governor Oyetola contributed or influence such decision in any way.
Alhaji Munir Raji reported that his statements regarding the NAF Base siting on the aforementioned disputed land were based on facts available to him. He stated that while he did not accuse SRJ of influencing the siting of NAF Base on the aforementioned disputed land, he held him severally responsible for this siting that is unacceptable to people of Osogbo primarily because of the comments attributed to SRJ on this topic as caught on a voicemail. The alleged comments of Senator SRJ were transcribed as followed:
“Won ni Osogbo Action Council, Governor de pe. O de ran Commissioner for works lo bawon ni Aafin o de explain everything to wa nibe. Won ni won fe da remedial center si le si Osogbo. Won ti bere ni Osogbo Grammar school. Ile ibe wa ni ara ile Osogbo ti won fe lo fun. Ehn, Ido Osun, o ti wa nibe. Baracks ni won fe ko si the other portion ti o wa ni eh, Iragbiji. So ti won ba gbe nkan meta wa, ti meji wa ni Osogbo nibe, ti ikan wa lo si barack nibe ti won wa nso wipe kini ni ohun o need ibo Osogbo, iro ni ohun pa o. Ma wa ri yin. Ma wa ko gbogbo documents yen wa ni ola.”
Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru (SRJ) maintained that he knew absolutely nothing about how the NAF Base was sited at the aforementioned disputed land. He stated that he deliberately maintained a reasonable distance from the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force because of his sensitive position as a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Forces, which provides oversight responsibilities over all armed forces in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Air Force. He said the last time he could recall he ever had any communication with Air Marshall Amao was when he called him around August 2021 to commensurate with him regarding loss of a family member. He added that it would have been against the ethics of the Senate Committee on Armed Forces for him to attempt to influence the decision of the Air Force on the aforementioned Air Force Base considering many factors including the fact that he is also from Osogbo. He said that when he learnt about the siting of the Base on the aforementioned disputed land and people was alleging that Governor Oyetola was the one that influenced this controversial siting, SRJ said he confronted Gov Oyetola about this in Abuja but the Governor emphatically informed him that he too knew nothing about how this Base was sited on the aforementioned disputed land. He said he called Chief Jimoh Buraimo to explain this finding to him and that he scheduled to meet with him to show him some documents regarding this NAF Base. He said he was surprised to hear that people were rumoring that he influenced the siting to Iragbiji despite all his explanations and innocence. He further explained that even on the issue of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI), he said he personally engaged Governor Oyetola on this matter and wrote a letter to him on this as well, which he said he circulated widely.
When Senator SRJ was asked for comments on the voicemail attributed to him and the contents of that voicemail, he said he could not comment of such without first reviewing such voicemail to determine its authenticity. I informed him about the transcribed version of the voicemail but he stated that as a lawyer, he would not read or comment on any transcription of a voicemail that he has not have opportunity of establishing its authenticity.
Conclusion:
- There is no evidence to prove that Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru influenced the siting of the Nigeria Air Force Base (NAF Base) on the disputed land between Osogbo and Iragbiji or asked that the NAF Base to be sited on that disputed land as alleged.
- The comments ascribed to Senator SRJ as documented in the above transcription of the voicemail alleged to have emanated from him are subject to different interpretations if proven to be authentic. These comments and the voicemail are subject to further debate to determine the way forward. Senator SRJ needs to first comment if he made these comments or not.
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