Precious Igbonwelundu
THE Sonmolu and Aro Efolu families of Itamaga in Ikorodu, Lagos have accused some policemen serving at the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (FCIID), Alagbon, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone II Annex in Ikorodu of alleged perversion of justice.
The officers identified as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Tunji Lawal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Kayode Emmanuel, Inspectors Emmanuel and Kolapo are investigating an alleged breach of public peace reported by Kamila Dada.
In a February 14 petition to Inspector-General Mohammed Adamu and signed by their lawyer, Ayodele Omoniyi, the families claimed that the investigators took sides with the other party despite evidence that their action was ordered by the court.
The Nation reports that the families have been embroiled in a land tussle after the defunct Nigeria Telecommunications (NITEL) relinquished over 20 acres following its liquidation.
The crisis, which stemmed from control and use of the said family land, led to the lingering litigation between the factions before the Lagos State High Court.
They claimed that the dispute arose because one of the families plotted to take over the land to the three other families.
According to the petitioners, their lack of faith in the investigators was as a result of a consistent pattern of frustrating and preventing the arrest, investigation or trial of any suspect who is in any way connected with Kamila Dada.
The counsel said: “The court ordered that all parties should maintain status quo, but the suspects continued to erect buildings on the land in defiance of court order.
“When the matter was reported, the trial judge directed that a census be taken of properties being developed in disobedience to court order.
“Parties in the suit, court officials, policemen along with personnel from the Ministry of Land and Physical Development in Lagos State went to inspect the land and 56 houses built in violation of court order were identified and marked.
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“Consequently, the court ordered the Inspector-General of Police to provide security to the officials of the Lagos State government to demolish the 56 buildings. The 56 buildings were demolished as directed by the court and none of the parties appealed against it.
“However, the suspects wrote a petition to the FCIID Alagbon claiming that our client demolished the 56 buildings and this led to arrest of our clients including a 72-year-old man who was kept in police detention for three days by the above-named officers.”
The lawyer said FCIID has ignored demands by the office of the Commissioner of Police (Legal) at the Force Headquarters to submit all case files for analysis.
Urging the IG to transfer the case from FCIID, the petitioners said it was beyond conjecture that they can neither get justice, nor fair hearing at Alagbon. They expressed displeasure about the investigation and alleged unwarranted interference in the complaints against the suspects.
The petitioners said that some of the suspects were arrested by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti following a petition to the IG.
They said: “Those arrested by the team led by CSP Odutona were Kazeem Adedeji, Ustapha Haruna, Hamisu Ahmed, Buhari Sule, Faibu Iliya, Adedeji Saheed, Henry Wisdom, Abijo Olatise, Kamoru Alagbe, Olumide Osho, Abayomi Benson, Owolabi Dada, Emeka Odoh, Aminu Faro and Saheed Okiki.
“Kamila Dada, along with officers from the FCIID Alagbon ensured the release of the arrested suspects. After their release, the main suspect (Dada) and Inspector Kolapo of Zone II have continued to arrest members of our family and many of them are still at FCIID detention after collecting the N500, 000 from them as condition for bail,” they alleged.
But the police dismissed the allegations as false and baseless, insisting that no one collected any money from them. They responded through FCIID spokesman Niyi Ogundeji, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
“Their allegations are false and baseless. A lot of people now capitalise on negative perception the police have to make spurious claims. I can tell you that DCP Lawal is a thorough and very professional officer.”
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