Tobias Sylvester
Two sons of late Chief Moshood Abiola, Kassim and Aliyu, have spent nine days in detention over allegation of robbery that took place in their father’s house at 42-46 MKO Abiola Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos State.
It was gathered that suspected robbers raided the Lagos mansion of the late Chief Abiola and carted away with property worth millions of naira.
The robbers were said to have assessed the Toyin Street Crescent residence of the late politician through a canal and jumped over the high perimeter fence into the compound.
Kassim and Aliyu were arrested in their father’s house on September 2, 2020, and accused of being behind the robbery which occurred in the wee hours of the same day.
After nine days in detention, the Abiola’s children have now sued the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu. demanding N100m in damages.
In a suit filed by their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the duo said they were arrested at their homes by the police over a robbery incident that was said to have occurred inside premises they shared with many other persons.
Kassim and Aliyu also alleged that their arrest and detention were at the instance of their stepmother, Mrs Adebisi Abiola, who allegedly suspected them to have had a hand in the robbery attack.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, a litigation clerk in Ozekhome’s law firm, Ubong Ikon, said Kassim and Aliyu were picked up at their father’s house at about 11.45am on September 2 by fully armed SARS operatives, who forced their way into their apartments without any warrant of arrest.
“The applicants were tortured, totally humiliated, dehumanised and terrorised, with a crowd of people swarming the premises to witness the ugly scene in the home of MKO Abiola, former presidential aspirant of the Social Democratic Party.
“The applicants were informed that their arrest was based on an alleged complaint by one Mrs Adebisi Abiola, their stepmother, to the effect that a robbery incident took place in their home; that suspected armed men invaded the residence and carted away valuables, including money.
“The applicants were forcibly dragged like common criminals, more in form of abduction than arrest and roughly driven to the Ikeja police station.
“They were promptly detained without any record, howsoever. They were not given any opportunity to speak with anyone, let alone a lawyer,” Ikon said.
Ikon added that the following day, the police took Kassim and Aliyu back to their apartments to conduct a search and nothing incriminating was found.
Ozekhome contended that the arrest and continued detention of Kassim and Aliyu were a violation of their fundamental rights under sections 35, 37, 41, 44 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution.
He prayed the court to order their immediate release, noting that Kassim and Aliyu were about to travel to the United States for further education.
He prayed the court to order the police to pay them N100m as exemplary damages and to tender a public apology to them for the “wanton and grave violation” of their fundamental rights.
KanyiDaily had also reported how a police sergeant identified as Mohammed Alidu was dragged to court for allegedly defiling his colleague’s 9-year-old daughter inside Makinde Barracks in Lagos State.
