Illegal detention: Woman sues IG, DCP for N10m

A mother of three, Mrs Mercy Adetokunbo Oluwaseyifunmi, has sued
the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, and the
Officer in charge of General Investigation Section, Force Criminal
Investigations Department (FCID), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, for
N10 million.

Oluwaseyifunmi is suing for what she described as illegal
detention and breach of her fundamental right.

The woman said she was arrested and detained by the police in
Ondo State but was later transferred to Alagbon, for bearing the
same middle name (Adetokunbo) with her former lover’s estranged
wife residing in the United Kingdom (UK). The police also accused
her of stealing and trafficking her teenage daughter, Damilola, to
the UK.

The alleged trafficked girl is, however, living with her
grandmother in Akure, Ondo State.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abutu Yaro, in charge
of General Investigations, FCID, had earlier told our correspondent
that Oluwaseyifunmi stole and trafficked her daughter in connivance
with her former lover, Bankole, who is also the girl’s father.

The police claimed that Oluwaseyifunmi and Bankole carried out
the crime using Bankole’s estranged wife’s name. The estranged wife
also bears Adetokubo.

Oluwaseyifunmi had Damilola for Bankole while they were still
young before both married different partners. Oluwaseyifunmi has
kids for her husband, while Bankole had litigation issues with his
wife in the UK, leading to separation.

Oluwaseyifunmi’s travails with the Police started after she
supported Bankole’s legal battle with his estranged wife. According
to Bankole, he had urged Oluwaseyifunmi to go to court and swear an
affidavit that he did not carry out circumcision on Damilola. He
said it became necessary after his estranged wife attempted to
ensure he was deported by alleging that he engaged in Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM). The affidavit, which was sworn to by
Oluwaseyifunmi, led to Bankole winning the legal battle in the
UK.

Bankole noted: “My wife vowed to deal with Mercy. She had also
been doing everything possible to ensure I got deported. Although
she lives in the UK, she has been using policemen in Nigeria to
harass and intimidate Mercy.”

Two weeks ago, Oluwaseyifunmi was rearrested by Ondo State
Police Command and later transferred to Alagbon. She fell sick,
after spending 14 days in police detention. She was eventually
released after her lawyer, on her behalf, sued police for breach of
her fundamental right and illegal detention.

Recounting her ordeal in Alagbon, she said: “Why the Nigeria
Police kept transferring me from one state to another is a mystery
to me. It was after my lawyer sued them that they decided to
transfer me back to Ondo State. On our way from Lagos to Ondo, the
Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant Emmanuel Ebong, was
speaking with somebody on the phone. He told the person not to
worry that he would ensure I was remanded in Ondo State. He said
that nobody would know my whereabouts.

“My family members called me, asking me where the police were
taking me. I told them that I didn’t know. The IPO collected my
phone and turned my battery upside down. He didn’t want anyone to
contact me. He told me that I would go to prison. We got to Akure
about 3p.m. and I was immediately taken to Ondo State Police
Command. He told the police that there was order from above that I
should be charged to court immediately. I was confused over why I
should be moved from Alagbon to Ondo State, to be charged to court,
after spending 14 days in detention for committing no crime. It was
God that caused me to mention the name of my lawyer in Akure at the
Ondo State Police Command. A Good Samaritan heard the name and
alerted my lawyer that I was at the command. Luckily for me, as I
arrived at the Magistrates’ Court 1 in Akure, my lawyer and his
team were already waiting to represent me. This was how my bail was
perfected.”

Bankole said: “It was after the suit was filed against the
police that they bundled her back to Ondo State in order to charge
her to court. She was charged for perjury and conspiracy.”

Oluwaseyifunmi’s suit against the police would be heard on
Thursday at Federal High Court, Ikoyi.

A mother of three, Mrs Mercy Adetokunbo Oluwaseyifunmi, has sued
the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, and the
Officer in charge of General Investigation Section, Force Criminal
Investigations Department (FCID), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, for
N10 million.

Oluwaseyifunmi is suing for what she described as illegal
detention and breach of her fundamental right.

The woman said she was arrested and detained by the police in
Ondo State but was later transferred to Alagbon, for bearing the
same middle name (Adetokunbo) with her former lover’s estranged
wife residing in the United Kingdom (UK). The police also accused
her of stealing and trafficking her teenage daughter, Damilola, to
the UK.

The alleged trafficked girl is, however, living with her
grandmother in Akure, Ondo State.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abutu Yaro, in charge
of General Investigations, FCID, had earlier told our correspondent
that Oluwaseyifunmi stole and trafficked her daughter in connivance
with her former lover, Bankole, who is also the girl’s father.

The police claimed that Oluwaseyifunmi and Bankole carried out
the crime using Bankole’s estranged wife’s name. The estranged wife
also bears Adetokubo.

Oluwaseyifunmi had Damilola for Bankole while they were still
young before both married different partners. Oluwaseyifunmi has
kids for her husband, while Bankole had litigation issues with his
wife in the UK, leading to separation.

Oluwaseyifunmi’s travails with the Police started after she
supported Bankole’s legal battle with his estranged wife. According
to Bankole, he had urged Oluwaseyifunmi to go to court and swear an
affidavit that he did not carry out circumcision on Damilola. He
said it became necessary after his estranged wife attempted to
ensure he was deported by alleging that he engaged in Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM). The affidavit, which was sworn to by
Oluwaseyifunmi, led to Bankole winning the legal battle in the
UK.

Bankole noted: “My wife vowed to deal with Mercy. She had also
been doing everything possible to ensure I got deported. Although
she lives in the UK, she has been using policemen in Nigeria to
harass and intimidate Mercy.”

Two weeks ago, Oluwaseyifunmi was rearrested by Ondo State
Police Command and later transferred to Alagbon. She fell sick,
after spending 14 days in police detention. She was eventually
released after her lawyer, on her behalf, sued police for breach of
her fundamental right and illegal detention.

Recounting her ordeal in Alagbon, she said: “Why the Nigeria
Police kept transferring me from one state to another is a mystery
to me. It was after my lawyer sued them that they decided to
transfer me back to Ondo State. On our way from Lagos to Ondo, the
Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant Emmanuel Ebong, was
speaking with somebody on the phone. He told the person not to
worry that he would ensure I was remanded in Ondo State. He said
that nobody would know my whereabouts.

“My family members called me, asking me where the police were
taking me. I told them that I didn’t know. The IPO collected my
phone and turned my battery upside down. He didn’t want anyone to
contact me. He told me that I would go to prison. We got to Akure
about 3p.m. and I was immediately taken to Ondo State Police
Command. He told the police that there was order from above that I
should be charged to court immediately. I was confused over why I
should be moved from Alagbon to Ondo State, to be charged to court,
after spending 14 days in detention for committing no crime. It was
God that caused me to mention the name of my lawyer in Akure at the
Ondo State Police Command. A Good Samaritan heard the name and
alerted my lawyer that I was at the command. Luckily for me, as I
arrived at the Magistrates’ Court 1 in Akure, my lawyer and his
team were already waiting to represent me. This was how my bail was
perfected.”

Bankole said: “It was after the suit was filed against the
police that they bundled her back to Ondo State in order to charge
her to court. She was charged for perjury and conspiracy.”

Oluwaseyifunmi’s suit against the police would be heard on
Thursday at Federal High Court, Ikoyi.