The businessman, Mr Chris Onwubuke,
alleged that one of the policemen, identified as Alaghe, is an Assistant
Superintendent of Police (ASP). Alaghe is alleged to be working with a junior
officer and both of them are attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),
Ikeja, Lagos State Police Headquarters.
According to Onwubuke, the policemen
took him away from vigilante group office in Likosi- Mosimi, Ogun State to
their office and later detained him. They collected N100,000 bail from his
family members before they granted him bail.
Onwubuke said that on August 10, as he
was changing the trye of his car at NNPC Estate, Likosi- Mosimi, Ogun State,
when a group of vigilante men in the community approached him.
They told him that someone had
reported him to them. They, however, wouldn’t tell him the person. They took
him to their office.
He said: “They kept me waiting for
hours. They said the person I offended was coming. I waited for hours, until
two men entered the office. They were in plainclothes. They introduced
themselves as detectives from SARS, Ikeja. They asked me if I worked at Wharf,
Apapa, I said no. They asked me if my name was Chukwudi, I said no. One of them
brought out his phone and made a call, my phone rang. They asked me to confirm
that it was my phone that rang, I said yes.
“They asked me if I knew anyone
called Chukwudi, I said no. they were still interrogating me when policemen
attached to NNPC Estate, came to intervene. They demanded for my release, but
the SARS men refused. They said I was a robbery suspect.”
He said: “We drove in my car to SARS.
I was praying that God should save me. They handcuffed my legs. One of them
drove my car. ASP Alaghe was the person that drove my car. On the way, they asked
me how much I had on me. I said N4000 was in my pocket. They collected the
money, my wristwatch, belt and phone.”
Onwubuke said that the following day,
around 1pm, his name was called. He was told that his people had come for him.
He said: “When I was called, I asked
the policeman what my offence was. Till now, I still don’t what was my offence.
When I reached outside, I saw members of my family. They told me that the ASP
and his colleague collected N100, 000 from them, which was why they granted me bail.”
According to him, after he was
released, he demanded for his N4000 from the two policemen, but they only gave
him N1000. He gave the money to his cell mates.
“The policemen handed my car key to
me. When I entered my car, I teargas, a T-Shirt and a cap, I took all to them. It
was when I got home that I saw the handcuff. It was hidden and hard to detect. I
called them that their handcuff was in my car,” said Onwubuke.
When he told them about the
handcuff, they asked him to bring it to their office on Monday by 3pm. He was
instructed not to tell anyone about the handcuff.
Onwubuke said: “I don’t want trouble,
but those policemen tarnished my image. People now are calling me armed robber.”
ASP Alaghe denied ever
collecting N100, 000 from Onwubuke’s family, in order to grant him bail.
His words: “Let me who accused me of
collecting N100, 000 come to our office with evidence.”
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