The recent arrest of Comrade Ibitola Babatope, popularly known as “Sugarito,” has continued to generate concern across Ekiti State and beyond, as friends, former student leaders, community members, media associates, and supporters call for fairness, due process, and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
According to reports circulating in the public space, including a publication by Punch newspaper concerning the arrest of individuals allegedly linked to plans to disrupt political activities in Ekiti State, Babatope was reportedly among the persons arrested during a police operation at a hotel in Ekiti State.
However, since the incident became public, numerous voices from different sectors have continued to question the circumstances surrounding his arrest and have urged authorities to conduct an objective and transparent investigation.
Ibitola Babatope is not unknown to many people within Ekiti State and beyond. He served as President of the Ekiti State University Students’ Union Government and also as President of the Federation of Usi Students Union, representing students from his hometown of Usi, Ekiti State.
Over the years, he built a reputation within student leadership, media communication, and political engagement. As someone who has known Tope personally for decades, I feel compelled to speak.
I, Obafemi Samuel George, have known Ibitola Babatope since 1999. We attended the same primary school and later proceeded to Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi, Ekiti State.
Growing up, his intelligence stood out strongly. During our primary school years, he was given a double promotion due to his academic brilliance, which placed him a year ahead of me academically, yet our friendship remained intact.
After secondary school, our paths moved in different directions. I proceeded to the University of Lagos while he attended Ekiti State University. Despite distance and different career paths, our relationship continued.
I watched him grow into leadership positions and later establish himself within media and political communication. We later worked together on several projects and jointly developed Reform Naija.
Throughout my years of knowing him, I have known him as a reserved, respectful, intelligent and disciplined individual.
Since the news surfaced, testimonials from people who worked with him and knew him closely have continued to emerge.
Professor Toso Borisade described Babatope as a peaceful individual with a calm disposition, stating that his conduct over the years reflected maturity, humility, kindness, and respect for others. He questioned attempts to associate him with criminal conduct and maintained that his known lifestyle differs from violence or unlawful behaviour.
A public appeal credited to Olugbenga Agbeyo JP also urged authorities to review the matter fairly, emphasising that, to the author’s knowledge, Babatope had maintained a peaceful profile and had remained actively involved in media and lawful political activities.
The EKSU Students Stakeholders Forum also issued a press statement recalling his tenure as student leader and noting that he was never publicly associated with violence or activities capable of disrupting peace within the university community.
Another public statement from Yomi Saint raised concerns about assumptions based on proximity and guilt by association. He stressed that individuals found within the same environment should not automatically be presumed guilty without proper investigation and called for an independent review of the situation.
Across social media platforms, additional testimonials continue to emerge from individuals who describe Babatope as a responsible husband, father of two, mentor to many young people, and an active media professional.
At this stage, it is important to state clearly that the legal process must be respected and authorities should be allowed to conduct investigations professionally and independently.
At the same time, concerns being raised by community members and those who know him deserve fair consideration.
This is not a call for disorder.
This is not a call for confrontation.
This is a call for justice, fairness, and transparency.
We respectfully appeal to relevant authorities, including security agencies and judicial institutions, to ensure that facts are thoroughly examined and that innocent individuals are protected where evidence does not establish wrongdoing.
We also appeal to major national media organisations, investigative journalists, and platforms, including Arise TV and other reputable media houses, to look into the matter independently and help amplify verified facts to ensure public clarity.
Justice works best where truth is carefully examined. As citizens, we owe every individual fairness before judgment.
We hope that proper investigations will reveal the complete truth and that justice, whichever direction the facts lead, will prevail.
Signed:
Obafemi Samuel George
Friend, Associate, and Public Advocate
