Ladoja Denies Withdrawing Bola Ige’s Case, Says Akande Lied

A former governor of Oyo State, Rasidi Ladoja, has declared that he did not withdraw the case file concerning the assassination of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, late Chief Bola Ige, from court.

Ladoja, who served as governor between 2003 and 2007, made this assertion while addressing journalists at his Ibadan residence on Monday.

Reports indicate that Bola Ige, a former governor of the old Oyo State, was assassinated in December 2001.

Our correspondent learnt that a former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, had earlier claimed that a former governor of the state, late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, instituted the case in court but that it was withdrawn by Ladoja.

Akande, in a recent interview, claimed that Ladoja possesses hidden information about the death of the former minister.

However, Ladoja insisted during his Monday address that neither he nor anyone in his government withdrew the case file from court.

He called on Akande to apologize for making a false statement about him and threatened to sue if the statement was not retracted.

Ladoja, who also holds the title Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, added that Akande had made false allegations against several personalities in his recently launched book.

“Chief Bola Ige was assassinated on December 23rd, 2001. I assumed office on May 29th, 2003 – 18 months after Chief Bola Ige’s assassination.

“I did not withdraw the case; my government did not withdraw any case.

“The case was even prosecuted up to the apex court. Chief Akande lied against me – this is not his first time. People said he lied; even Baba Adebanjo noted his falsehoods in his book.

“We all share the sorrow over Chief Bola Ige’s death, and we remain deeply concerned about it. I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while he was alive.”