IGP orders probe of policemen who allegedly arrested D’banj’s rape accuser

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the probe of the policemen who allegedly arrested D’banj’s rape accuser, Seyitan Babatayo.

The IGP gave the order in a letter signed on his behalf by his Principal Staff Officer, DCP Idowu Owohunwa and addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Garki.

The IGP’s letter was sequel to a petition written by Seyitan’s lawyer, Ojoge, Omileye and Partners.

In the IGP’s letter titled  “Re: Petition Against Inspector Abraham, Supol Ugowe and the Entire Police Officers Team at Ikeja, Lagos Division of the Inspector General of Police”, the IGP asked that the petition from Seyitan Babatayo’s lawyer be addressed.

The petition from Babatayo’s legal representative – Ojoge, Omileye and Partners –  allege that policemen attached to the Intelligence Response Team arrested Seyitan on the directive of D’Banj and detained her for over 24 hours.

It was also alleged that they denied her access to her phone and her lawyers and she was subjected to intimidation and psychological torture by the policemen.

The petition read in part, “On Tuesday, June 16, 2020, our client was picked up alongside a friend, Favour, at her residence in Lagos by the officers of the Ikeja IGP IRT. The arrest was without any warrant and neither our client nor her friend, Favour, was informed of the reasons for their arrest.

“According to our client, she was told to write a statement denying ever meeting with Mr. Oyebanjo (D’Banj) and to also state that she lied against the person of Mr. Oyebanjo. In actual fact, our client was about to write the statement which she believed would be a basis for her release when the counsel came in and stopped her from writing such a statement.

“The counsel further informed the policemen that all actions to the alleged rape of our client in December 2018 by Mr. Oyebanjo have been transferred to the DIG FCID for a thorough investigation and that they need to stay the action.”

The petition adds that the counsel told the policemen to release his client and he would bring her back to the station when she’s needed but the policemen said Seyitan had not yet spent 24 hours in custody.

The counsel returned the following day and alleged that D’Banj’s Manager, Damien Okoroafor, was present at the police office.

He said that the process of bailing Seyitan had started before D’banj’s manager, Okoroafor’s began ordering officers around. Because of this, the officers refused to release Seyitan and threatened to approach a magistrate court to obtain a remand order to detain Seyitan for two weeks.

He said Seyitan was forced to delete all social media posts she had made about D’Banj and was also forced to make a public statement absolving D’Banj of rape which she did to gain her freedom.