By Henry Ojelu

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, has written to the Police Service Commission, PSC, over alleged abuse of authority, extortion and retaliatory prosecution by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ajuwon Police Station, Ogun State, simply identified as Yusuf.

In a letter dated February 12, 2026, the rights group accused the DPO and officers under his command of unlawfully converting a complainant, Mrs. Akinluyi Rosemary, a 44-year-old widow, into a criminal suspect after she reported a case of vandalism at the station.

RULAAC said Mrs. Akinluyi initially reported damage to an apartment belonging to her landlady, Mrs. Osamudiamen Igunma.

Instead of an impartial investigation, police officers allegedly pressured her to falsely implicate another person, reclassified her as a suspect without credible evidence and compelled her to sign an undertaking to replace electrical wiring.

The group further alleged that Mrs. Akinluyi’s brother was made to pay ₦30,000 as bail, contrary to police regulations that expressly prohibit the monetisation of bail.

According to RULAAC, it subsequently wrote to the DPO to protest the alleged irregularities.

Shortly after, Mrs. Akinluyi was invited back to the station under the pretext of further discussions but was allegedly ambushed with a criminal charge without prior notice or opportunity to prepare her defence.

She was arraigned in Charge No. MOJ/2C/2026 on three counts: breaking and entering, stealing electrical fittings valued at ₦745,406, and malicious damage of the same value, under provisions of the Ogun State Criminal Code.

RULAAC alleged that the prosecution was retaliatory, claiming that the defendant was told the matter would have been settled if the complaint had not referenced the ₦30,000 bail payment.

The organisation also accused the police of deliberately frustrating the bail granted by the court.

It alleged that despite bail documentation being close to completion, the Investigating Police Officer, identified as PC Oludotun Oluwafemi, insisted on immediately transferring Mrs. Akinluyi to Abeokuta Correctional Centre, ignoring advice from court officials to wait.

RULAAC said bail conditions were perfected minutes after she was taken away, forcing a surety to incur an additional ₦15,000 expense the following day to facilitate her release.

The group described the incident as avoidable incarceration intended to punish rather than prosecute.

Linking the case to wider criminal justice concerns, RULAAC said the incident reflected policing practices that worsen prison congestion, a problem earlier highlighted at a national webinar organised by the CLEEN Foundation on Nigeria’s rising inmate population.

The rights group urged the commission to investigate alleged abuse of discretion, monetisation of bail, malicious prosecution and conduct unbecoming of officers, insisting that the actions violated the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and the Force’s Code of Professional Ethics governing the Nigeria Police Force.