By Esther Onyegbula

INVESTIGATION into allegations of extortion and illegal arrest against the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in-charge of Pen Cinema, Lagos, Harrison Nwabuisi, has taken a new twist as key witnesses have denied being arrested inside a mosque while praying.

The witnesses, however, maintained the allegation of extortion against some of the officers at the station.

A probe panel had been set up by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Imohimi Edgal, following reports that the DPO and some of his men raided a mosque and some joints at Alimi Ogunyemi Street in Ifako-Ijaiye area of the state on the last day of Sallah and arrested some suspects, who were later made to part with money before they were released.

The report specifically stated that some of the witnesses were arrested inside a mosque during a prayer session.

However, the story took a different dimension when key witnesses appeared before the probe panel only to deny the allegation of arrest inside a mosque.

A member of the panel claimed they specifically pointed at one of the officers, a Sergeant popularly called Biggy, as the arrowhead of the extortion.

Sources close to the investigating team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau, SCIIB, Panti, Yaba, Yetunde Longe, disclosed that their investigation revealed also that no mosque is located within the area raided at Alimi Ogunyemi Street in Ifako-Ijaiye.

Secondly, other witnesses who were equally arrested during the raid and were made to make fresh statements by the probe team, reportedly debunked allegation of extortion against the DPO and his officers at the division.

Rather, they stated that some of them that were able to identify themselves were released, while those that could not were handed over that night to officials of Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi by the Police team.

According to one of the sources close to the probe team, “we have gone very far in carrying out investigations over the matter.

“You know our CP is a very thorough and pragmatic person and he did the right thing by setting up the team to unearth the culpability of the officers or otherwise.

“We cannot afford to do a shoddy job because of the seriousness attached to the case.

“However, we discovered that the key witnesses denied being arrested inside a mosque as earlier stated.”

They, however, made a strong case of extortion against some of the officers whom they also identified to us during a parade. There was also an argument between the DPO and one of the witnesses who alleged that he, DPO, took money from one of the officers in his presence. However, we did not see that as a strong case against the DPO because it was like an afterthought from the witness who was fidgeting during the session. We were also able to trace some victims of the raid and other residents of the area who freely opted to assist in our investigations and they confirmed that all the suspects arrested that night who could not identify themselves properly were taken to the Task Force at Oshodi.

“In truth, one of the suspects alleged that a police Sergeant he cannot identify accompanied him to the gate and secretly extorted N5, 000 from his parents after the Divisional Police Officer advised them against engaging in any criminal act and ordered their immediate release. However, all the suspects did not mince words in stating that Pen Cinema is usually a very volatile area during such festive periods but lamented that the brutal manner they were hounded and thrown into police vehicles at the scene during the raid was very inhuman.”

Vanguard leaned also that during interrogation, the accused DPO lamented that he was being persecuted by people with vested interest in the area.

He particularly referred to accusation made against the station last year November as ‘a notorious Lagos Police Station where no one was innocent’ stating that the attacks were sponsored.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the probe team may conclude and submit their report this week to the Commissioner of Police.