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Hours after the Ogun Police Command declared controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly called Portable, wanted, the artiste has declared that the delay in responding to the invitation of the law enforcement agency was because he is undergoing treatment at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Portable said that he aimed to get a better and sane mind before going before the police to answer the allegations leveled against him during the argument that occurred outside his bar in Ota axis of the state.
The artiste, who stated this on Tuesday to justify his delay in responding to police invitation over his alleged involvement in a fight with three officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ota Zonal Office: TPL Onabanjo Abidemi, TPL Raymond Lateef, and TPL Ridwan Oyero Akinlesi, who were conducting an enforcement exercise at Oke-Osa, Tigbo Ilu Ota, which prompted the police to declare him wanted, appealed to Nigerians and the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, to overlook his shortcomings.
“I am law abiding but those I contacted to manage the construction were dubious and never obtain the required documents stipulated by law.
“I am not a troubleshooter, rather the residents often come after me even after I have helped them many times”, he added.
“I fear government. I am a federal government liability. Then I’m a madman; I have medications that I usually take. You can confirm from Aro Hospital. I have a card that certifies me as one of their patients.
“I am from Abeokuta and they are taking care of me there. I am not a thief, I help people around me without even looking at their background.”
It would be recalled that the three officials who were identified as town planners claimed they encountered an elderly man, later identified as Portable’s father, at Odogwu Bar in the area.
Upon identifying themselves and requesting the approved building plan, the father informed them that his son was unavailable.
However, moments later, Portable, armed with a firearm and other weapons, led a gang of nine thugs in a violent attack on the unarmed officials.
The police claimed, “The enforcement officers sustained various bodily injuries but managed to escape and reported the incident to the Ota Area Command, which subsequently escalated the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further action.
“Nine accomplices were arrested, but Portable fled the scene and has since gone into hiding.”
