Ogbomoso-born businessman, Alhaji Abayomi Alaka, who was accused of sponsoring the dreaded Badoo boys terrorizing parts of Lagos and Ogun states’ has spoken on his arrest by the Lagos State Police Command.
According to Alaka, a Lagos-based independent oil marketer, he was being allegedly persecuted by the police because of his inability to raise the sum of ten million naira (N10m) allegedly demanded by the police “to settle their boss”. While explaining that his life has been under threat since his unconditional release by the police, Alaka further claimed that he was coerced by the police to part with the sum of N700,000 before he was asked to go home.
Efforts made by DAILY POST to get the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Police command, Olarinde Famous-Cole since Tuesday night was futile. He disclosed that the police had launched manhunt on him, to re-arrest and detain him to perfect lies told against him. “They (police) are currently looking for me to arrest and put me under lock so that they can tell the world that I was never released without a surety.
“That is why I have decided to hide myself for now . They know I am innocent. I have no link with the Badoo cult group. They lied against me to intimidate me and collect money from me.
“When they asked for N10million, I told them I don’t have that kind of money. Yet, they insisted I must settle their oga. When I couldn’t meet up, that was when they came, took me to the shrine, and fabricated all kinds of lies against me. I am innocent. They know this as a fact”, he claimed.
He has, however, through his lawyer, Barrister Tunde Ojehomon, petitioned the Lagos State Police Command over the unlawful arrest, detention and prejudicial stigmatization, harassment and for wrongfully accusing him of sponsoring Badoo boys.
According to the petition, a copy which was made available to journalists,in Ibadan the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, Alaka said the actions of the Lagos State Police Command showed that they had no respect for fundamental human rights and the rule of law by detaining Alhaji Abayomi Alaka. He said he was wrongfully arrested, detained, paraded without preliminary investigation to ascertain a reasonable degree of involvement/culpability only for them to release him when they realized that they had trampled on his fundamental human rights.
He restated that he was released without any surety, adding that the Lagos State Police Command had no right under the law to parade suspect who had not been convicted by the court of law.
Ojehomon said his client had never been, he was not and will never be a member of any cult or notorious groups that was disturbing the peace of residence of Lagos State. Ojehomon said as law abiding citizens, they had approached the court of law to seek redress on the issue.
He called on the Lagos State Police Command to tender an unreserved apology to his client by placing their apology letter in some National Dailies so that members of the public will know that Alhaji Abayomi Alaka was wrongfully accused.
