Kunle Falayi
Journalist, Femi Owolabi, whose torture by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Department of Criminal Investigation, Panti, Lagos, has led to the arrest of the nine policemen, said even if he was offered millions of naira as compensation, he would not accept it from the police.
Owolabi told Saturday PUNCH that he was not interested in compensation as he merely wanted the policemen responsible for his ordeal to be punished.
His case brings to focus the high-handedness and illegal operations conducted by Nigerian policemen, which are largely unreported by victims.
The journalist told Saturday PUNCH that rather than pay him such amount of money, he would prefer it be spent on retraining of policemen.
Owolabi said he was surprised that none of about 30 other victims who were arrested with him, tortured and extorted by the policemen had come forward to share their story.
“I am particularly concerned about the man that was led to withdraw money from an ATM as the balance of the money the policemen demanded for his release. I wish he would just come forward and share his story as well. I think they first collected N10,000 from him before leading him to the ATM to withdraw more money,” Owolabi told our correspondent.
PUNCH had earlier published that the nine policemen indicted in the torture of the journalist, had been detained by the Lagos State Police Command.
The police have said the cops would be tried with the possibility that some of them might also be tried for robbery.
In his last meeting with the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, on Wednesday, Owolabi said the nine policemen were brought in to face him for the first time.
According to him, as they lined up before their boss, they were crying.
He said he promptly identified all of them including, Isiaka, who collected N5,000 ‘fuel money’ from him when he was taken back to where he was arrested.
“I recalled the face of one of them who slapped my neck and asked if it rang,” he said.
Owolabi explained that he had been warned mostly by friends to drop the case.
He said some policemen have also been appealing to him to tell the media to back off on their coverage.
The journalist said, “A lot of people don’t even believe that I have nothing to do with the media coverage on the matter. Like I said, I am not interested in suing the police or asking for compensation. I only want a positive change in the way the police treat Nigerians.
“The Commissioner of Police has told me he would do something about the necklace I lost during the raid and my hospital bills. I am even reluctant to accept that because I don’t want anybody to think this is about money.”
Saturday PUNCH learnt the orderly room trial of the policemen has not started as of the time of filing this report on Friday.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Joe Offor, told our correspondent that some verifications of the claims of Owolabi were still being made.
“We don’t want to put the cart before the horse, he said. Once we have done all necessary verifications on the claims of your colleague, we would move to other necessary administrative procedure,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nigerians who have been following the case said it would determine if the country is serious about human rights protection.
In a comment, online reader, Obisakin Olabode, said, “So these people will not change their attitudes but we are always told how the police have imbibed the new order.
“I think massive purge of the force is needed now, it is the only organisation between the military and paramilitary that has not been purged.”
Another reader by the name, Ademola, said this is a chance for the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to reform the police force.
“He should make an example out of these armed robbers in uniform. We need action now,” he said.
Another reader, who identified himself simply as Bayo, shared his own story of police high-handedness.
He said, “A similar thing happened to me few weeks ago. I just came in from a holiday and was stopped by policemen in a Danfo bus around Mile 2/Apple junction. They checked my car papers and said I could go and next thing I knew, I was called back again that my allocation of plate number was signed by another person and before I could say anything, I was brushed aside my SUV keys and phones were seized.
“I was thrown into the Danfo and was handcuffed. They said, they were taking me to Panti (Department of Criminal Investigations). When I asked what I did, they asked where I got money to travel and how did I buy the SUV. Another policeman was driving my SUV, I was helpless.
“They had anti-crime, Panti, written on the back of the shirt they wore. They drove me from FESTAC area to Lawanson and rained abuse on me even though I identified myself with a Lagos State Government identification. They were armed to the teeth and requested for N150,000.
“They finally stopped and asked me to go and meet the policemen driving my car. They took N20,0000 from me and left me at Lawanson around 9pm. I was helpless without a dime. Till now, it’s a mystery and a mental torture to me.”
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