PFIPC scandal: Arrest of Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the law – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has criticised the Nigeria Police Force’s handling of the questioning of the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi,  acclaimed Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Tuesday, Falana, who is representing the suspect, said that there was no justification for taking the elderly man to a police station.

Falana said he had been informed by police officers in Abuja that Adeyemi’s father was not arrested but was only invited to assist investigators.

“The reported arrest of Mr Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the Constitution, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and under the Nigeria Police Act,” Falana said.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, however, noted that the Police clarified the situation to him.

“I got a call from the police officers in Abuja this evening, where I was informed that the old man wasn’t really arrested. The police merely invited him to take them to a particular place as part of their investigation, and that he was asked to make a statement,” he said.

Falana added that the statement was not obtained under caution and that the elderly man, alongside another family member, was released after the process.

“He made a statement, not under caution, and after his statement was taken, and the family member who was arrested along with him, he was allowed to go home,” he said.

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The senior lawyer maintained that the police could have obtained the statement without taking Adeyemi’s father to a police station.

“Whichever way it is, if the police officers involved had wanted the father of Mr. Adeyemi to assist them in their investigation, they should have taken his statement in his house and not in a police station. I do hope that this will not repeat itself,” Falana said.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that police officers stormed the Adeyemi family’s residence and took his father into custody while searching for his son. The elderly man was, however, released a few hours later.

A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity after the release, said the police questioned Adeyemi’s father extensively about his son’s whereabouts before allowing him to return home.

“Baba has been released. He was questioned about his son’s whereabouts, and the police also copied the contacts on his phone. We don’t know what they intend to use them for,” the neighbour said.

Residents had earlier told our correspondent that several police vehicles arrived at the family’s residence, and officers took Adeyemi’s father away after failing to locate his son.

They also alleged that security operatives prevented neighbours from intervening and remained stationed around the area for some time after the operation.