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I, Oba Akintunde AKINYEMI, JP, FCIMN, The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, a First Class Monarch in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, write this Open Letter to debunk the information which one Investigative Journalist called Fisayo Soyombo has put in the public domain and was also discussed recently on Arise Television Nigeria.
According to the undercover, he uncovered a notorious smuggler, IBD Dende, a hotel owner in Ogun State also known as Ilaro biggest smuggler who has numerous allies in government and media and has evaded prosecution several times due to his proximity to power. The undercover used lots of unprintable words to describe Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun.
To set the records straight and debunk the baseless investigation which the undercover has put in the public domain, I want to state unequivocally that:
(i) I have been a First Class Monarch since the year 2005 and Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun popularly called IBD Dende is one of my subjects with high integrity and pedigree.
(ii) IBD Dende is not a smuggler, but a Clearing and Forwarding Agent who carries out his legitimate work of importation of goods and services through the land border just like other Clearing and Forwarding Agents who carry out their jobs through the Apapa Port, etc.
(iii) The investigation carried out by the undercover was done to defame the person of IBD Dende because the source(s) of hisinformation was questionable. How on earth would a journalist interrogate certain people in the community instead of interfacing with the security agents whose jobs are to secure the border areas in the country like the Nigeria Customs Service, the Directorate of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, etc. Without any doubts, those he interrogated were the enemies of IBD Dende, so the job done by the undercover was to discredit him.
(iv) Arise Television should not have allowed the airing of any investigative journalism that was done without carrying out their own checks with the security agencies who are in the best position to confirm or reject any investigations carried out on any personalities in the society. This simply means that the Arise Television is putting the cart before the horse. It is very bad for Arise Television presenters to sit in the comfort of their station and criticize an innocent, prominent citizen of this country without doing any due diligence. A popular television station like Arise News needs to avoid airing investigations which are done to destroy the names of law abiding citizens of the country.
(v) The assertion that IBD Dende had been arrested several times and nothing happened to him was a baseless statement. It is a normal thing to invite people for questioning and if the security agents are satisfied with any suspects, they will definitely release him. The undercover should not usurp the work of the security agents who have not found anything incriminating on different occasions that IBD Dende was interrogated. It is clear that the undercover and the Arise Television presenters were indicting the security agents who are numerous at our border area and are doing their checks on business men and women who carry out their clearing and forwarding work legitimately.
(vi) The undercover, Fisayo Soyombo should desist from defaming the name of people like IBD Dende who has been contributing to the development of the country through employment creation for our youths. Where was the undercover when the Fulani terrorists invaded Yewa Communities and started killing our people. Thanks to our amiable Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Ogun State House of Assembly who banned open grazing in the state at the time to put an end to the heinous acts of the Fulani terrorists.
(vii) Journalists should stop engaging in dirty journalism and start talking about serious issues like the development of the border communities by the Border Development Commission so as to secure and make life meaningful in the border areas. If the commission is made to perform its duties effectively and efficiently, all manners of illegalities going on will be nipped in the bud.
(viii) Arise Television Management should rein in on their presenters who did not do due diligence before going ahead to criticize an innocent business man like IBD Dende. Their action in this regard is presenting the Arise Television as a station that is ready to defame good citizens of our country that supported Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's bid to become the President of Nigeria.
(ix) The action of the presenters show how unfair they are to people living at border areas and we are not happy with the Arise Television for jumping into the conclusion that my subject, IBD Dende is a big smuggler who smuggles guns and other illicit commodities into our dear country. His name has gone viral with baseless and false claims from one undercover doing a hatchet job for some people that may not like the fantastic societal status of IBD Dende.
Finally, I want to implore the Arise Television to retract the unfounded and defamatory statements made against Alhaji Ibrahim Egungbohun (i.e IBD Dende) or else we will be forced seek legal redress.
Thank you.
HRM Oba Akintnde AKINYEMI, JP, FCIMN
The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom
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