Police Allegedly Abduct 4 Persons, Flout Court Order – Lawyer Cries Out
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that a Lagos based lawyer, Barrister Taiwo Ogunleye, have alleged that Officers of the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos abducted his clients, Elijah Adeogun, Samuel Ajose, Ahmed Olayiwiola and Segun Dada from the premises of the Ota Judicial Division of the High Court of Ogun State on the 21st day of March 2025.
Barrister Ogunleye claim that his Clients
were unlawfully taken away from the premises of the High Court of Ogun State in Ota, Ogun State, on Friday (Yesterday), stating that the action of the Officers can be term as abduction..
Speaking further, the Lawyer said that his clients were arrested since the 11th and 13th day of March 2025 on allegations of murder and unlawful possession of firearms, he however condemned in its entirety the attitude of the Police since the detention of his clients, saying that it is questionable and condemnable.
He lamented that every step taken by the Police since the arrest of his Clients can be label as victimisation..
According to him, “Since the arrest of my clients, every step taken by the police shows that officers of the Zone 2 Police Command have an unlawful interest in this matter.
“Firstly, on Friday 14th March 2025, my Clients appeared before His Lordship, Wahab Sanni, at Magistrate Court 2, Tinubu Square, Lagos, to apply for a demand application, even when they were aware that the alleged offences happened in Ota, Ogun State.
“If not for personal and unwholesome interest, why would the police take an Ogun state matter to Lagos State?
“To worsen the situation, the Police took my clients to Court while informing me that they were taking them for investigation activities. If not for my proactiveness, I wouldn’t have known that my clients were already in court.
“Graciously, the Magistrate declined Jurisdiction over the matter after our valid argument”, Barrister Ogunleye stated.
He further explained that despite the refusal of the Remand application by the Court, the police detained his Clients without any Court Order.
Another Remand Application was made before His Lordship, Dr. B.O Ilo of Magistrate Court 1, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Remand Application was also refused on the ground that it was brought to the wrong Jurisdiction and after unlawfully detaining the respondents for over Nine days without any Oder of Court.
He added that the police had to bring his Clients to the Magistrate Court 1, Ota, Ogun State on the 21st day of March 2025 following an Order of the Court made on the 19th day of March pursuant to an application he made in Suit No: MOT/006M/2025 between Elijah Adeogun & Ors v. Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Police Command & Ors”.
The lawyer stated further that after the hearing of the matter in MOT/006M/2025, the Police brought a Remand Application against his clients and the application was taken over by the State.
Upon the granting of the Remand Application, the Magistrate ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Ibara, Ogun State.
He alleged that despite the Order of the Court, the officers of the Zone 2 Police Command whisked the suspects in their car.
“Despite the order of the court that my Clients be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional facility in Ibara, the police officers, SP Abraham Fayomi, ASP Eniola, Inspector Love Amini and the Command’s legal officer, Barr. Z Arekhandia, took my Clients away while we were waiting for the vehicle of the Correctional centre to arrive.”
Ogunleye however expressed concern about the attitude of the Police, urging the Inspector General of Police to wade into the matter and promote the Rule of Law, rather, than work as tools in the hands of persons with personal vendetta against others.
“It is the duty of the police to promote the rule of law, not to serve as willing tools in the hands of those who have scores to settle against each other. I knew something was wrong since the beginning of the matter.
“The Ogun State Police Command investigated the matter and found out that my client was in court at the time of the alleged crime. In their report, the Ogun State Police Command found no prima facie case against my client after detaining him for three days.
“Zone 2 Command at Onikan, Lagos, took the matter up afterwards and have been victimising my clients rather than conduct sincere and truthful investigation as regards the murder allegations.
“I was almost beaten up for insisting that I wanted to be present when some of my Clients were making their statements”, Oguneleye revealed.
Barrister Ogunleye is calling on the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC, Inspector General of Police, and the Chairman of the Police Public Complaints Committee of the Ministry of Police Affairs to call the Police to order and see that just and clean investigation is carried out rather than victimisation and unlawful detention of suspects without proper investigation carried out in line with the law.
