A
printer, Oriyomi Olubode, and the leader of the neighbourhood security
watch in the Jibowu area of Lagos, Toheeb Sodiq, have been having a raw
deal in the hands of the police in Lagos State.
Olubode, whose residence is on Alade Street in
Somolu, was allegedly brutalised by some hoodlums at Abule-Oja, while
Sodiq has languished in detention since June 16 for a yet to be known
offence.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of his assailants,
Olubode said, “I was attacked at about 6.30 pm last Saturday on my way
from a wedding ceremony that took place at the University of Lagos in
company with two friends of mine. We ran into some hoodlums in
Abuke-Oja.
“They forced me out of the car. I was beaten
mercilessly.My offence was that I was the friend of the branch chairman
of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Somolu, Ibrahim
Adeyeye.
“One of them named Femi Akinboyeku, said Adeyeye had
stopped remitting money to him and had parted ways with him. At gun
point, I was ordered to climb on a motorcycle and was taken to an
abandoned building on Shiro Street in Fadeyi. As soon as we entered the
building, Femi made a phone call to a policeman, one Inspector Rasaq
Toheeb.” A Nokia phone worth N12,500, a wrist watch worth N20,000, a
neck chain worth N68000 and N106,000 cash which were on Olubode at the
time, were allegedly seized from him.
Olubode noted that Femi, whom the police had declared wanted, was in company with Ibrahim Balogun, aka Small Jpron.
When Toheeb arrived at the uncompleted building, he
heard Jpron telling his men, who were unnerved by the presence of the
police officer, that the latter was their ‘man.’
“Femi, stopped his men from running. He told them
that Toheeb and Deputy Commissioner Police, were their men. He also said
he had called the top police officer and had asked him to arrest and
label me a criminal,” Olubode said.
After assaulting Olubode, Inspector Toheeb allegedly
dragged him to Alakara Police Station. When his colleagues there refused
to detain Olubode, Toheeb allegedly proceeded to the Zone D Area
Command. Again the policemen on duty rejected Olubode because of his
condition and refused to detain him.
In exasperation, Toheeb was said to have taken
Olubode to the Lagos State Police Command, where he was handed over to
some policemen in mufti.
“I was injured and bleeding, until about 12.30 am on
Sunday when I was released to an uncle of mine who told me he had put a
call to the police officer. It was after my uncle had spoken to him that
Toheeb was directed to release me,” Olubode said.
In a petition made available to CRIME DIGEST, Olubode
accused Toheeb of cooperating with criminals to assault and illegally
detain him. Olubode stated in his petition an alleged cordial
relationship between Femi and the DCP. The petition, which was duly
signed and received through the DPO, Alade Police Division, was dated
3rd July 2012.
Another printer in Somolu, Olatunde Oladipo,
corroborated Olubode’s story. He said, “I wrote a petition to the Lagos
State Commissioner of Police about these same persons who attacked
Sodiq. They have threatened me on many occasions because I assisted the
police to recover stolen motorcycles in the community. On a particular
occasion, they attacked and robbed me in my residence in Somolu.
“These boys have caused so much havoc in Somolu and
Bariga that it seems they are above the law. Many lives have been lost
and properties destroyed on account of their activities at Somolu.”
Meanwhile, Sodiq, whose family filed on his behalf a
suit against the police, is also accusing Toheeb and the DCP of
harassment and unlawful detention. His sister, Yewande, told CRIME DIGEST that he was arrested by the police about three weeks ago.
Yewande said, “Sodiq was away under the bridge in
Jibowu playing football with his friends. I was chatting with some of my
friends in front of my residence on Lawani Street when a vehicle pulled
up and some policemen led by one Inspector Rasaki Toheeeb came out.
“At first, we were not worried because a fight had
taken place on our street a while ago. Some people from Ogunjobi and
Ereko streets had come to Lawani to fight some of our youths. This made
some residents to invite the police. So, when the police asked for
Sodiq, we assumed they wanted to question him about the fight; him being
the leader of the neighbourhood security watch. We had to send a
message to Sodiq to come home.”
Sodiq was immediately arrested by the policemen and
taken away. No explanation was given for his arrest. All efforts by his
relatives to find out about his offence were in vain.
Five days later, Sodiq appeared in his home on Ikorodu Road, Jibowu, in handcuffs. He was led by the police.
After a thorough search, the group moved to Sodiq’s
parents home at Alagbado, where another search was conducted. Worried by
the turn of events, a delegation comprising Sodiq’s siblings and all
the landlords on Lawani Street went to the Lagos State Command the next
day.
“We met with Manko and laid our complaints. Sodiq is
not a criminal. He haD never been arrested for any crime. He is the head
of the Lawani Security Watch and he had his identity cards. When we
were through, he told us he wasn’t aware of the case and would need time
to look into it as he was new to the Lagos command. It was at the
command that we then learned Sobulo gave the order for Sodiq’s arrest,”
Yewande said.
Court documents made available to CRIME DIGEST showed
that a suit was instituted against the Inspector-General Police, the
Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, and the DCP was filed at the
Lagos High Court on July 2, 2012.
Sodiq’s lawyer, Mr. Adefolaju Oloko said, “We are
seeking damages against the police for unlawful detention because Sodiq
has already been declared a criminal without a trial. Since his arrest,
he has been denied access to members of his family. They are not allowed
to see him. Sodiq is a member of his neighbourhood’s security watch and
they do assist the police in their work.
“When I went to see him last week at Panti where he
is being currently detained, the policemen did not want to let me speak
to him. It was after I had made trouble with them that I was allowed a
few seconds with him and they insisted that I spoke English to a man who
only understands Yoruba.”
When CRIME DIGEST contacted the Lagos State
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, on the issue, she
denied all allegations. She said, “Sodiq is not innocent. He has been on
the state’s wanted list of criminals and based on that we made our
arrest. There was a press release to that effect at the time. As for
Sodiq suing the Lagos State Police Command, I am not aware of that. I am
just hearing that from you.
“As for Olubode, I have not been able to reach the
officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to confirm if indeed
Olubode was detained there last Saturday.”
Na wha o! God save us from these ppl call POLICE. I think dem dey get returns from d togs/robbers, abi? Is that how they are trained? Hmmmm!
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