CHRSJ Raises Alarm Over Fate Of Detained Nigerians, Says Detainees Face Police Execution

 

By Akinwale Kasali

A civil rights group, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has raised the alarm over the likely extra-judicial execution of two Nigerians detained in police custody in Ogun State.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Executive Chairman of the CHRSJ, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman stated that the two detainees Mr. Kayode Akinleye and one of his friends, Kehinde Obafemi are currently being detained illegally in a police divisional command located in Iju Police Station, Iju-Otta besides Attan, Along Owode-Idi-Iroko Road, Ogun State.

Sulaiman who added that the two detainees are victims of a well orchestrated frame-up by a police officer known as Wole with contact-08034104255 and some powerful members of the Owode community over his refusal to be part of a drug distribution ring.

According to the family, Wole is said to lead the police team whose other members are, Odidi Folake, Adeniyi Rasheed and others who are said to have collected the sum of N125,000 at the Iju-Otta Police Station from the family of the detainees but have not allowed them to set their eyes on their family members.

The human rights activist accused a powerful business woman known to the residents of the community simply as Iya Alex for colluding with the police officer named Wole and his team to get the two detainees out of the way to prevent the society from getting to know about their atrocities as drug dealers.

The group claimed the two illegally detained persons are in danger of being extra-judicially killed by the powerful clique who might seek to prevent them (the detainees) from letting the world know about their atrocities.

“It is unfortunate to note that the police who should protect the society from any form of social harm and the ones who are now engaging in such acts. The men of the Nigerian police who should ensure that the people get justice are the ones now preventing them from accessing justice. In this case the innocent is being made the guilty.” Sulaiman stated.

Going down memory lane, the activist stated that the relationship between Akinleye and Iya Alex was a business agreement that necessitated Iya Alex to sell a vehicle to Akinleye on hire purchase terms, which he uses for commercial purposes since 2015.

“Akinleye has been fulfilling his payment obligations to Iya Alex since the time the agreement commenced by following all the terms and conditions but trouble started when the businesswoman urged him to help her drive her business trucks every night along the border town of Owode but Akinleye turned down the proposal because of the fact that vehicle usually carry contraband and illicit drugs.

“Upon his refusal to do her bidding, Iya Alex contacted Officer Wole who claims to work for the Federal Anti-robbery Squad at Ajilete town to help her put the two out of circulation by detaining without charges with the ultimate goal of killing them via extra-judicial method, in a case very similar to that of the late founding Editor-in-chief of Newswatch Magazine, Mr. Dele Giwa who was killed in a letter bomb on October 19 1986 when he caught Gloria Okon in a narcotic drug deal,” Sulaman stated.

According to the group, the family is in a state of fear, suspicion and apprehension on whether they have been killed or about to be killed and that their release is only a way to put the apprehension to rest.

“When we sent some of our members to the Iju-Otta Police Station where they have been detained, the policemen at the counter including the Divisional Police officer stated that they have no idea as regards their current location, a situation that further accentuated the fears of his family. Efforts to get the police officer called Wole have also yielded little fruits.” He said.

He added that the police officers have been blackmailing the family, particularly his 85 year-old mother, Madam Alice Akinleye with a view to extort the sum of two million from her before her son could breath their of freedom.

Sulaiman stated that the policemen have even been harassing members of the church where Akinleye worships, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Mount Zinai located in Dele Foto Street, Pempe Area of Owode Yewa, Ogun State.

They also alleged that the three months pregnant wife of one of the detainees, Mrs. Idayat Akinleye who lives in Olokuta, Igbohotedo Quarters, Owode Ogun State have also come under harassment from the policemen who have continued to mount pressure on her with a view to extorting her.

He concluded “That we are now calling on the Police Service Commission, the Inspector-General of Police, Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Deputy Inspector-General of Police on Investigation, the Commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and the affected police commissioner in charge of Ogun State to quickly intervene and call for the unconditional release of Kayode Akinleye and his friend Kehinde without any further delay.

He added that this is the best way to go in order to avoid incurring of the civil society in this case that tends to not only put their jobs on the line but also capable of tarnishing the image of the force both at home and abroad.

“We promise to soon launch a total abrogation of force constabulary mentality as we have stated earlier which has been given to them, till October 1 2018 most especially, the abolition of so called SARS Idiosyncratic tendencies,” Sulaiman stated