Anthony Iwuoma
The Ogun State Police Command has begun investigating alleged sexual harassment of a 16-year-old secondary school girl by Hon. Abiodun Abudu-Balogun, the state Commissioner for Environment.
According to the spokesman of the police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the investigation follows a viral video circulating on social media in which the commissioner was accused of attempted to sexually harass the teenager.
It was gathered that the girl had claimed in the video that the commissioner attempted to sexually harass her.
Abudu-Balogun, the man in the eye of the storm, in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Saturday, denied the wrongdoing, describing the allegation as political blackmail by his opponents.
“My attention has been drawn to a purported video circulating on social media of a girl alleging that I attempted to sexually harass her,” the statement read.
“Let it be noted that in my entire life and political career, I have assisted many youths to secure jobs, some are working with me in my different businesses.
“On this said day, the girl was brought to my house by one of my loyalists who is her Uncle, to assist her get a job as a Computer Operator at the ICT Centre I facilitated while I was serving as a member of House of Representatives years back which has been moribund.
” But I am about to rehabilitate in order to empower more youths in our local government.
“I met her at my sitting room for a few minutes where many of my loyalists are, people that came to visit me for the New Year. I chatted with the lady for a few minutes and as part of my usual gesture, I gave her some amount of money for her transportation.
“A day after, I was informed by some people that I have been alleged to have attempted to sexually harass the girl and I should invite the family for a meeting so as to settle the matter amicably.
” It was after my refusal to yield to their threats that they went ahead to make a teleguided video leading the lady on what to say to implicate me. This is purely political blackmail by my adversaries.
“Let me state emphatically that I never attempted to sexually harass anyone.”
