Group seeks IG’s intervention over police abduction of Lagos bizmen
A group, Human Rights Initiative for the Downtrodden, has urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and prosecute some officers of the Intelligence Response Team attached to the FCIID, Alagbon, for their alleged abduction of one Joseph Ikechukwu and his friend Adeniyi Solomon.
PUNCH Metro reported on Friday that the heavily pregnant wife of Ikechukwu had narrated how her husband was abducted on the premises of the FCIID, Alagbon where they had gone for clarification and briefing following his initial arrest.
Mrs Ikechukwu had alleged that the police, who arrested her husband over a dispute on land commission with another man, extorted her husband and the wife to the tune of N5m.
She also claimed that the police raided their home in the Ipaja area of Lagos State and carted household items including generators.
In a petition signed by the group’s legal council, Ayo Ogundeji, and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday, they alleged that the abduction was led by one SP Rotimi.
The petition read, “Following the above arrangement, the human rights team, led by our National President, Comrade Onojah, with the three victims and other eyewitnesses went to the FID Annex from 10 am till about 2 pm but SP Rotimi and his team didn’t show up for the meeting and another date was scheduled for the meeting.
“While on our way from the Force Annex, still at the entrance, the men of the IRT (SP Rotimi’s team), led by ASP Paul Ataga assisted by a police Inspector in the uniform of the Force Annex double-crossed us, abducted the 1st and 2nd victims, and took them away in leg chains and handcuffs.
“The human rights officials immediately ran back to the DCP’s office and informed the IPO who came to the scene but all his efforts to prevent the men from taking the victims away were to no avail as the IPO was alone talking to the men who outnumbered him.”
They also demanded the whereabouts of Ikechukwu and Solomon, stressing that the situation had caused the victims family trauma.
The group also urged the police to prosecute the officers involved in the alleged abduction.
The petition continued, “It is because of the above worrisome facts; we as a human rights organisation hereby request that you may take the following steps as a matter of urgency, to avoid further harassment and humiliation by calling for the case file and all parties to be brought to the AIG, Force Annex, Alagbon; to be handled by the DCP, Homicide who has already commenced an investigation of the matter.
“Properly investigate this matter and ensure prompt disciplinary action, sanction and prosecution where it is expedient. Properly investigate the civilian conspirators and the PoS agents being used by the officers.
“Immediate dismissal of all the involved officers where culpable. Immediate refund of all the sums of money criminally obtained from the victims and demand that the POS agents and all the civilian conspirators be produced by the officers.”
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer for FCIID, Alagbon, Aminat Mayegun, did not respond to repeated enquiries by our correspondent on the matter.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also did not respond to calls and messages sent to his line on Sunday as of the time of filing this report.
