BOLA IGE MURDER: You lied! Ladoja hits back at Bisi Akande over misinformation

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Responding on Tuesday, Ladoja stated that he did not withdraw the case as claimed by Akande, adding that the case was pursued up till the Supreme Court. According to Oba Rashidi Ladoja, “Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001. I became governor on May 29, 2003, which was 18 months before my tenure began.  I didn’t withdraw the case. My government didn’t withdraw any case.”

Former Governor of Osun State and estwhile Protem Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, may have entered some kind of integrity controversies lately as yet another counter has just emerged against some of his recent claims on a national television.

One of the claims was when he said the Obedient Movement orchestrated the EndSARS, which he said was planned in the United States of America and imported to Nigeria for implement as witnessed in October 2020. That claim was swiftly tackled and debunked on an Arise Television Good Morning Show by Rufai Oseni, who said Baba Akande “with due respect” was not correct by that claim.

Rufai said it was public knowledge that EndSARS was simply a reaction of Nigerian youths to police brutality against citizens which was not addressed by state authorities.

On Monday February 3, 2025, the mainstream and social media platforms were awash with the other tranche of Akande’s claims saying “Ladoja may know about” the murder of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Cicero Bola Ige.

In a jiffy and at the speed of lightening, His Royal Majesty Oba Alhaji Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, who was Governor of Oyo State during the time under reference, frowned at the fact that the former Osun State Governor and close ally to the sitting President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would tell such a story he (Akande) was not sure of, according to a quick check conducted on his (Ladoja’s) Ondo Street residence in the Oyo State capital on Monday.

Furtherance to that, the respected Otun Olubadan of Ibadan Land, on Tuesday February 4, gave a full response to the former Osun State Governor, regarding the Bola Ige’s assassination, stating that, “Chief Akande lied against me.”

Ladoja, in effort to stop anyone from rewriting a recent history known to many still alive, countered Akande during a media interview with journalists at his Ibadan home telling the whole truth as he knew of the murder case.

Bola Ige, a senior advocate of Nigeria, was first appointed upon the return of democratic government as Minister of Power and Steel by President of Nigeria at the time, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo before he was later redeployed as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Ige was in active national service as Attorney General when he was assassinated in his Ibadan home on December 23, 2001 and information about his possible killers have gone through a number of twists.

It will be recalled that Akande, at the weekend, reopened with concerns the issue of yet-to-be resolved assassination of Chief Bola Ige during which time he suggested that former Governor Ladoja may have crucial information regarding the murder as, according to him, it was Ladoja who withdrew the state’s case thus discontinuing it.

Akande said that Ladoja withdrew a case related to the murder that had initially been pursued by his predecessor, Lam Adesina.

He said, “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 do.

“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.”

Responding on Tuesday, Ladoja stated that he did not withdraw the case as claimed by Akande, adding that the case was pursued up till the Supreme Court.

According to Oba Rashidi Ladoja, “Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001. I became governor on May 29, 2003, which was 18 months before my tenure began.

“I didn’t withdraw the case. My government didn’t withdraw any case.

“The case was even prosecuted by the Supreme Court. Chief Akande lied against me, and he is old. This is not his first time. People say he lies. Even Baba Adebanjo said he lied in his book.

“We are all deeply saddened by Ige’s death. We are all concerned about his murder; I was very close to Chief Bola Ige when he was alive.”

Irked by the development, Ladoja stated that all options, including legal action against Akande, would be considered unless the elder statesman withdrew his statement and tendered a public apology.