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Abiola’s children sue police over arrest, detention for alleged armed robbery at dad’s home

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Two children of the late politician, Chief Moshood Abiola, on Friday filed a N100million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Lagos State Commissioner of Police over their arrest and detention for alleged armed robbery.

The duo —Kassim Abiola, and Aliyu Abiola —were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on September 2 for alleged involvement in a recent armed robbery attack on the Ikeja home of the late billionaire businessman.

In the rights enforcement suit filed by their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, the men alleged that they were arrested at the instance of their stepmother, Mrs. Abiola, who accused them of complicity in the robbery attack.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, a litigation clerk in Ozekhome’s law firm, Ubong Ikon, said Kassim and Aliyu were arrested at the Abiola’s house at 11:45 a.m. on September 2 by fully armed SARS operatives, who forced their way into their apartments without any warrant of arrest.

READ ALSO: Gunmen raid late MKO Abiola’s home in Lagos

He said: “The applicants were tortured, totally humiliated, dehumanised and terrorised, with a crowd of people swarming the premises to witness the ugly scene in the home of MKO Abiola, a former presidential aspirant of the Social Democratic Party.

“The applicants were informed that their arrest was based on an alleged complaint by one Mrs. Adebisi Abiola, their stepmother, to the effect that a robbery incident took place in their home; that suspected armed men invaded the residence and carted away valuables, including money.

“The applicants were forcibly dragged like common criminals, more in form of abduction than arrest and roughly driven to the Ikeja police station.

“They were promptly detained without any record. They were not given any opportunity to speak with anyone, let alone a lawyer.”

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