Widow of the late businessman and politician, Bamidele Akingboye, Mrs Christiana Akingboye, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of unlawfully releasing her husband’s body.
Citing the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State, she maintained that the police’s role is investigatory and ends upon completion of the post-mortem and issuance of legal advice by the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
According to her, following the family’s exoneration by the DPP, there was no authority for the police to release the body to third parties.
In an appeal to President Bola Tinubu, the Senate and Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mrs Akingboye alleged that the conduct of the Police after her husband’s death amounted to abuse of power, breach of due process and a deliberate marginalisation of the deceased’s immediate family.
She stated that following investigations, the DPP issued legal advice exonerating her and her children, effectively bringing any lawful police involvement to an end.
According to her, there was no criminal justification for further interference by the Police.
Mrs Akingboye alleged that confidential investigative documents, including the DPP’s legal advice, were leaked online and circulated by a foreign-based blogger before the police communicated the outcome to her or her children.
“The police have not communicated the outcome of the investigation to us till date. We only read about it online,” she said.
The widow further accused the police of mishandling her late husband’s personal effects.
She said her husband’s mobile phones were collected from her as evidence, alongside his medications.
According to her, the phones were later released to her estranged stepson, while the drugs collected from her have not been returned.
She added that repeated demands for the return of the deceased’s belongings were ignored, raising concerns that investigative protocols and the chain of custody were compromised.
Mrs Akingboye said her lawyers wrote to the Police and morgue, warning that neither her husband’s body nor his personal effects should be released to any person without the consent of the immediate family or an order of court.
Despite this, she said officers at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos, invited both parties to a meeting on January 23.
She explained that the only issue concluded at the meeting was the return of her family’s passports, which were handed over, adding that the Police promised to convene another meeting the following week to address outstanding issues.
“Till now, no one has called us,” she said.
Days later, Mrs Akingboye said the family learnt from a family source that the remains of her husband had been released quietly to her estranged stepson and unknown persons, without notice to her, her consent and any court order.
She added that the phones and medications collected from her are also yet to be returned.
Citing the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State, she maintained that the police’s role is strictly investigatory and ends upon completion of the post-mortem and issuance of legal advice by the DPP.
She argued that following the family’s exoneration, there was no lawful authority for the police to release the body to third parties.
Mrs Akingboye alleged that while her estranged stepson enjoyed preferential access and outcomes, the widow and children of the deceased were misled and kept in the dark.
She said several petitions were written to the Inspector-General of Police, but none resulted in restraint or accountability.
Expressing concern for her safety and that of her children, Mrs Akingboye called on the President, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions and the IGP to order an independent investigation, insisting that Nigeria must not allow power to override justice, even in death.
