Abiola Oluga, a recent graduate of mathematics from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, FUNAAB, found himself at the centre of a nightmare when he was allegedly unlawfully arrested and detained by the Nigerian police in Abeokuta on Sunday, February 4th, 2024.
According to his narration on his X handle, Oluga claimed that the incident occurred in front of his father’s house, where he was innocently chatting with a friend on WhatsApp.
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He claimed a police team led by DPO Lateef Balogun of the Ibara Police Division raided young men in his neighborhood.
Despite not being involved in any illegal activities, one officer allegedly falsely accused Oluga of recording the event and promptly arrested him, taking him to the Ibara police division.
To his shock, Oluga was labeled a cultist and illegally detained for three nights without the opportunity for bail. Adding to his distress, the Ogun police command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Omolola Odutola, published his name in national newspapers on February 6th, 2024, branding him a suspected cultist without conducting any investigation.
Read his full statement below:
I, Abiola Oluga, a recent mathematics graduate from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, was unlawfully arrested and detained for three nights by a Nigerian police team led by DPO Lateef Balogun of the Ibara Police Division in Abeokuta on Sunday, February 4th, 2024. While innocently standing in front of my father’s house and chatting with a friend on WhatsApp, I witnessed the Nigerian police force (@PoliceNG) raiding young men in my neighborhood. One officer falsely accused me of recording the event and took me to the Ibara police division.
Labeled a cultist and illegally detained without the opportunity for bail, I endured three days of confinement. Adding insult to injury, the Ogun police command’s PPRO (Omolola Odutola) published my name in national newspapers such as @MobilePunch on February 6th, 2024, branding me a suspected cultist without conducting any investigation. Despite the innocence I maintained throughout the ordeal, the DPO (Lateef Balofun) of the Ibara police division threatened me to make life unbearable and neglected to conduct a proper inquiry into the matter. It became evident that he colluded with his officers to smear my reputation. I hereby clarify that I am not associated with any cult; rather, I am a recent graduate awaiting my NYSC call-up letter and working as a full-stack software developer.
It is imperative to expose the misconduct of the Nigerian police force in Ogun state (@OgunPoliceNG), highlighting their harassment and defamation tactics. I sincerely urge the Inspector General of Police and the Governor of Ogun state (@dabiodunMFR) to intervene, as this injustice cannot go unchecked. Failure to address this issue risks subjecting others to similar instances of police brutality. The DPO must be held accountable, and my poor family is seeking help for legal representation to pursue justice. A public apology in national newspapers is necessary to rectify the damage done to my reputation. Nigerian, please help me.
The Ogun State Police Command has, however, responded.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
