A family has appealed to Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, regarding the alleged kidnapping of their overseas-based relative, Segun Okunbijo, which resulted in the transfer of 151 million naira.
The petition filed by Professor Yemi Oke, SAN, representing Mr. Okubajo Kehinde, the father of the victim, claims that four policemen forcibly transported Mr. Segun Okubajo from Lagos to Abuja.
The petition stated that Segun was kept isolated without communication, while the police coerced his family into paying the substantial amount under pressure.
‘The petition claims that our client’s son, Segun Okubajo, who has never faced any criminal accusations from anyone, was brutally arrested on October 9, 2024, by the aforementioned officers,’ it reads.
The mentioned officers stormed his residence armed with heavy weaponry, disabled all his surveillance cameras, confiscated his mobile devices, kept him isolated from communication, and then forcibly transported him, shackled in leg irons and handcuffs, to the office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police at the Force CID, located in Area 10.
The instruction from our client states that both Oladipo Ibrahim and Shedrach Luka are recognized informants who focus on incriminating Nigerian individuals believed to be based abroad, working alongside the aforementioned police officers and other associates.
The pair took advantage of Segun Okubajo’s trip to Nigeria to fabricate false charges, concocting an unfounded accusation without any formal complaint. Their intention was solely to commit financial fraud and forcefully take a substantial amount of money from him.
After the arrest took place, the law enforcement officials supposedly requested 1 billion naira as ransom. However, they ultimately agreed upon an arranged sum of 151.5 million naira. The household had to acquire this money partly via borrowing and partially with financial assistance from their acquaintances and mutual aid organizations.
“The client reported that after his son’s arrest, he was transferred to Abuja, where the officials first requested an amount of 1 billion naira; however, they ultimately collected a total sum of 151,500,000 naira,” stated the petition.
In an effort to save his son’s life, he and other family members opted to gather the necessary funds…by taking out loans from their enterprises, acquaintances, colleagues, as well as their mutual organizations.
Following the extortion, Okubajo allegedly escaped back overseas and has consequently encountered ongoing threats to both his own safety and that of his family members.
As mentioned earlier, the police officers have turned to extreme measures, such as sending threatening messages to Segun Okubajo and his family members. These threats were intended to discourage them from pursuing justice. Additionally, they warned these individuals not to seek redress through alternative methods or channels, all part of a frantic effort to conceal or erase their unlawful actions, according to the statement.
Even though they submitted previous requests in November 2024, with some directed at the IGP, the family asserted that the intimidation continued. This led them to file another plea calling for a comprehensive inquiry, an urgent return of the money taken under duress, and punitive measures against the implicated officials.
“The current petition does not aim to disclose information publicly or engage in immediate widespread legal action, nor does it seek to involve the presidency, the global community, or various local entities… at present. Nevertheless, should compliance fail, we will have no choice but to pursue additional measures,” stated the document.
The attorneys cautioned that should the IGP’s office not take action within two weeks, the matter would be elevated further with potential legal proceedings initiated against the Presidency, Police Service Commission, Ministry of Police Affairs, among others.
The petition, backed by ‘documentation including videos and images,’ called upon IGP Egbetokun to take swift and decisive action.
Upon being reached for comment regarding whether law enforcement agencies had knowledge of the petition, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, merely stated, “I will inquire with the DIG to confirm if this has been received.”
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