A Lagos-based attorney, Adebayo Adekoya, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the alleged unlawful actions of police officers from the Zone 2 headquarters, which covers Lagos and Ogun states.
The incident centers around the harassment of Akeem Sanyaolu, a retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the illegal seizure of his property by the police.
Adekoya urged the police chief to scrutinize the process followed by the officers both before and after they confiscated Sanyaolu’s vehicles.
The retired Customs officer had revealed to PUNCH that on February 5, 2020, while he was away on a trip outside Lagos, his wife contacted him, reporting that police officers had forcibly entered their home.
Sanyaolu claimed the officers went directly to where he had parked three Ford caravan buses and drove them away, alongside some documents from his residence.
The officers reportedly executed the operation without a warrant or any court order.
In a conversation on Wednesday, Adekoya condemned the officers’ actions, calling the operation illegal.
He further questioned the legitimacy of the operation, stating that the officers involved failed to provide any evidence, including the file that would contain the petition upon which the seizure was based.
Adekoya said, “From all indications, it appears the police officers who raided his house conducted an illegal operation. There seems to be no petition or approval for such an action. When the petition was eventually sent to Abuja, the Inspector General of Police directed Zone 2 to reopen the case and question all the officers involved. However, the head of the team that took the vehicles has refused to release the file. Without the file, we can’t know what petition, if any, was filed. It looks as though someone just decided to seize the vehicles without a court order or proper investigation.”
The lawyer emphasized that before any vehicle can be released to a complainant, the police are required to gather testimony from the suspect—in this case, Mr. Sanyaolu.
According to Adekoya, the vehicle was later released to the complainant’s lawyer on bond, but the police have been unable to produce it despite requests for its return, even though over six months have passed.
“The vehicle was reportedly handed over to the complainant’s lawyer on bond, which means that the vehicle was temporarily released. However, the officers failed to return it as required by law when it was needed. Now, when we demand the vehicle, they cannot produce it. This indicates a lack of professionalism, and it appears they are trying to cover up their actions,” Adekoya stated.
The lawyer also urged the police to direct the previous investigators to release the file, which could clarify the entire situation.
He said, “The police need to determine whether a legitimate petition was submitted, whether the necessary approval was obtained from the appropriate authorities, and if so, whether they obtained a court order before seizing the vehicle. They must also reveal who the vehicle was released to and under what conditions.”
On October 24, 2024, when contacted for a statement, the spokesperson for Zone 2, Ayuba Umma, assured our correspondent that she would look into the matter. Following a follow-up inquiry on Monday, Umma responded with another promise to get back with more information, saying, “I will get back to you.”
