LG chairman protests assault, detention by area commander

Protesters outside the court premises

The Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government area of Lagos State, Mr. Ayodele Adewale, has accused the Area E Commander of the state police command, Mr. Dan Okoro, of assaulting him and illegally detaining five Man O’ War officers.

Adewale made this allegation while leading some workers of the council on a protest at the Apapa Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

He said, “Last Thursday, some Man O’War men were on their legal duty, preventing vehicles from crossing the lawn along Second Avenue; they were overseeing the construction of a road in the area.

“For no just reason, Okoro arrested and detained them at the Area E command. When the LGA Chief Security Officer and the Senior Special Assistant, Legal, went to the command to secure their bail, Okoro humiliated and drove them away.”

Adewale further alleged that the Man O’ War officials were forced to spend the weekend in Kirikiri prison when Okoro failed to take them to court on time the following day. He said he was physically assaulted by Okoro on Sunday when he went to see him on the issue.

He added, “Okoro claims to be the Chief Security Officer of the Local Government. He should go back and read the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that cedes such power to the chairmen.”

PUNCH Metro gathered that the relationship between both men became strained when the Lagos State Government gave vehicles to local government chairmen for onward distribution to divisional police officers.

“Okoro asked me for a vehicle and I declined on the grounds that I could not flout a state directive. He was offended by my response and withdrew his police officers from the LGA Security Council meetings. He also stopped picking my calls.

“Meanwhile, Amuwo Odofin has the highest cases of kidnapping, robbery and rape,” Adewale said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said, “On Thursday, the police got a report that some men in mobile uniform were harassing people on the road. The area commander detailed his men there. The boys were questioned, and it was discovered that they were not policemen. They were also said to have damaged someone’s vehicle in the process. That was why they were arrested and arraigned for impersonation and malicious damage.

“Concerning the issue of the assault. It was an accident that occurred in the area in which an okada man was crushed by a truck and a mob descended heavily on the driver and conductor, almost beating them to a coma. They were about to administer jungle justice on them when the police got there and dispersed the crowd. The police took the injured men to the hospital, and was about driving the container to the station when the chairman stood on their way and said the container should be taken to his office, but the police insisted it was a criminal matter. I know he obstructed the police while they were trying to take the vehicle to the station, I am not aware if he was assaulted.”

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