Retired Customs Officer Fights Back Against Police Vehicle Seizure

Retired Customs Officer Fights Back Against Police Vehicle SeizureAkeem Sanyaolu, a retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, has raised concerns about alleged harassment and the unlawful seizure of his property by officers from the Nigeria Police Force at the Zone 2 headquarters, which covers Lagos and Ogun states.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In an interview with PUNCH Metro, Sanyaolu recounted that on February 5, 2020, while he was away from Lagos, his wife informed him that police officers had forcibly entered their home. He claimed the officers took three of his Ford caravan buses and several important documents without a warrant or court order.

Sanyaolu stated, “My wife called to tell me that police officers were in our house in Ojuore, Sango Ota, taking my buses and important documents, alleging they were stolen items from Tincan Port. An Inspector named Ola provided his phone number, but he refused to answer my calls when I tried to reach him.”

Despite numerous attempts to recover his property, Sanyaolu was unsuccessful and ultimately lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police through his solicitor on August 4, 2022. This prompted an investigation by the Assistant Inspector General of Police at the Zone 2 Command headquarters. However, he claimed the investigation lacked progress, leading him to request the transfer of the case file to another team for resolution in May 2024.

Sanyaolu expressed his frustration, detailing an encounter with an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who allegedly insulted him, referring to him as a “thief” and implying he had engaged in theft. He demanded a retraction of this defamatory statement but noted that the police have not provided him with a copy of the petition they claimed initiated their actions against him.

Four years after the seizure, Sanyaolu stated that his vehicles and other items remain unreleased, despite his repeated appeals. He mentioned that officers handling his case have obstructed his efforts to recover his belongings.

When reached for comment, Ayuba Umma, the spokesperson for Zone 2, stated she would investigate the allegations but had not provided further updates by the time of this report.

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