The Rights and Accountability Liberation Centre (RULAAC) has raised fresh concerns over the alleged arrest of Mrs Ogechi Juliet Chika, wife of businessman Chika Onwa Odo, by police officers at their residence in Ikorodu, Lagos.

RULAAC’S Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, who spoke to SaharaReporters on Tuesday said the officers also allegedly took away a Lexus RX 350 belonging to Odo during the operation.

According to the organisation, the latest incident occurred amid an ongoing investigation involving Odo at the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, Adeniji Adele, and the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.

Nwanguma said Odo reported that the officers who arrived at his residence neither identified themselves nor explained the reason for the operation, the arrest of his wife or the removal of the vehicle.

He said one of the young men residing with Odo subsequently identified one of the officers as Johnbull Ayo, whom he reportedly knows as an Investigating Police Officer with SWAT, Adeniji Adele.

“Chika alleges that police officers went to his residence in Ikorodu, Lagos, arrested his wife, Mrs. Ogechi Juliet Chika, and took away his Lexus RS 350, registration number KTU 825 GE,” the statement said.

“According to him, the officers did not identify themselves or explain the reason for the operation, the arrest of his wife or the removal of the vehicle.”

RULAAC further alleged that the police officers first went to Odo’s former residence, where they arrested the current occupant and allegedly compelled him to lead them to Odo’s present residence.

The rights group said the circumstances surrounding the alleged operation raised questions about whether Odo’s wife was connected to the investigation being handled by the police.

It consequently asked the authorities to clarify the allegation or evidence linking her to the alleged offence and the legal basis for her arrest.

“What allegation or evidence connects Chika’s wife to the alleged offence?” Nwanguma asked. “On what legal or evidential basis was she arrested?”

The organisation also demanded clarification on the seizure of the Lexus, asking what connection the vehicle had with the investigation and whether its removal was formally documented.

“What connection does his vehicle have with the investigation, and was its seizure formally documented?” it asked.

RULAAC also questioned why the identities of the officers and the purpose of the operation were allegedly not disclosed to the occupants of the residence.

The organisation also raised concerns over the status of CCTV equipment at Odo’s residence following the operation.

Nwanguma, however, stressed that Odo had not confirmed that the equipment was physically damaged or tampered with.

According to him, Odo only discovered after checking the system through his phone that the CCTV was no longer working or accessible remotely.

“Chika is not presently in a position to confirm that the CCTV installation at his residence was damaged or tampered with,” the statement said.

“What he says is that, when he subsequently checked through his phone, he discovered that the CCTV was no longer working or accessible remotely.”

RULAAC said Odo’s suspicion was informed by an earlier allegation that police officers interfered with CCTV equipment at his business premises during a previous operation.

The group, however, said the latest claim should be independently verified rather than treated as an established fact.

“We believe this should be independently verified rather than assumed,” Nwanguma said.

The organisation said it was not opposed to legitimate police investigations and would not seek to protect anyone against whom credible evidence of criminal conduct exists.

Nwanguma said law enforcement agencies had a responsibility to investigate allegations but must do so within the framework of the law.

“RULAAC wishes to re-emphasise that we are neither obstructing a legitimate police investigation nor seeking to shield anyone accused of a crime,” he said.

“If there is credible evidence against Chika, the police have a duty to investigate it professionally and proceed according to law.”

He added that relatives of suspects should not be subjected to arrest or property seizures merely as a means of exerting pressure on the person under investigation.

“But investigation must follow evidence and due process; relatives should not be arrested, nor property seized, merely as leverage against a suspect,” Nwanguma said.

RULAAC said it was particularly concerned about what it described as the appearance of possible retaliation following Odo’s previous complaints over the arrest of his workers by SWAT.

The group recalled that the workers were subsequently publicly paraded by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, FCID Annex, Alagbon, an action which RULAAC said had raised questions about the presumption of innocence and fair hearing.

The organisation said the disputed accounts between Odo and investigators made transparency and proper documentation particularly important.

“In circumstances where there are already sharply disputed accounts between investigators and the person under investigation, transparency becomes even more important,” it said.

“Every arrest, search and seizure should be lawful, properly documented and capable of independent scrutiny.”

RULAAC also called for the status of CCTV recordings and equipment at both Odo’s business premises and residence to be independently established, particularly if the recordings could be relevant to the ongoing investigation.

The organisation consequently requested urgent clarification from the police on the whereabouts and status of Odo’s wife, the legal and evidential basis for her arrest, and the current location and status of the Lexus.

It also demanded the identities and units of the officers involved in the operation and clarification on whether the CCTV installation or recording system at the residence was interfered with.

“We therefore respectfully request urgent clarification regarding this latest operation; the whereabouts and status of Chika’s wife; the legal and evidential basis for her arrest; the whereabouts and status of the vehicle and the basis for taking it away; the identities and unit of the officers involved; and whether anything was done to the CCTV installation or recording system at the residence during the operation,” Nwanguma said.

RULAAC said it would continue to support legitimate law enforcement while insisting that police investigations comply with the law, due process and safeguards against abuse.