The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has formally petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC), demanding a thorough investigation into allegations of extortion, retaliatory prosecution, abuse of office and deliberate frustration of bail processes by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ajuwon Police Station, Yusuf Joseph, and officers under his command.
The petition, signed by RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, centres on the case of Mrs Rosemary Akinluyi, a 44-year-old widow who initially approached the station as a complainant last month but was allegedly turned into a suspect through irregular practices.
According to RULAAC’s statement released during the week, Mrs Akinluyi had reported a case of vandalism after discovering damage to an apartment. Instead of a professional investigation, officers reportedly pressured her to implicate another person, reclassified her from complainant to suspect without clear evidence, and forced her to sign an undertaking to replace electrical wiring stolen from the apartment.
She was also reportedly asked to pay N30,000 as “bail”, in violation of police directives that bail must be free.
RULAAC subsequently petitioned the DPO, highlighting these irregularities, particularly the unlawful bail payment.
Shortly after, the widow was invited back to the station under the guise of further discussions. She was, however, charged in court without prior notice or a chance to prepare her defence.
According to RULAAC, she was arraigned in Charge No. MOJ/2C/2026 at a magistrate’s court on counts of breaking and entering, stealing electrical fittings valued at N745,406 and malicious damage.
The NGO claims she was explicitly told the matter could have been “resolved without going to court” had the earlier petition not referenced the N30,000 payment — a statement the group says indicates retaliatory motives.
After the arraignment, the court granted her bail, and the sureties met all conditions promptly.
However, the Investigating Police Officer, PC Oludotun Oluwafemi, allegedly insisted on transferring her to Abeokuta Correctional Centre immediately, even as bail paperwork was being finalised. Bail was perfected minutes after her transfer, forcing a surety to pay N15,000 for a court official’s travel from Ojodu to Abeokuta the next day to secure her release.
RULAAC says this resulted in avoidable detention, trauma for the widow and unnecessary strain on the justice system.
It described the actions as evidence of punitive intent rather than legitimate prosecution, contributing to Nigeria’s rising pre-trial detention and prison congestion — issues spotlighted in a recent national webinar on inmate population drivers.
The organisation urged the PSC to launch an independent probe into the DPO and officers involved; ascertain whether the prosecution was justified or malicious; investigate the N30,000 bail collection and order a refund if verified; examine the rushed transfer despite imminent bail perfection; apply appropriate sanctions for any proven misconduct; and reinforce directives against bail monetisation and prosecutorial abuse.
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