Retired Customs Officer Accuses Police of Harassment, Unlawful Seizure Of Property

Akeem Sanyaolu, a retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, has accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Zone 2 Command, covering Lagos and Ogun states, of unlawful harassment and seizure of his property. Sanyaolu claimed that on February 5, 2020, while he was out of Lagos, police officers entered his residence in Ojuore, Sango Ota, and confiscated three Ford caravan buses, along with important documents, without a warrant or court order.

He recounted, “My wife called to inform me that some police officers had entered our premises and taken away my buses, claiming they were stolen items from Tincan Port. They also seized some documents. When I attempted to contact the officer in charge, Inspector Ola, he refused to answer my calls.”

Despite lodging a complaint with the Inspector General of Police through his solicitor in August 2022 and subsequent investigations by Zone 2 Command, Sanyaolu said his efforts to recover his property have been unsuccessful. He described being humiliated during a meeting with an officer, ASP Felix, who allegedly called him a thief and accused him of stealing containers.

Although Sanyaolu formally requested a retraction of the defamatory statement, the police have yet to provide the petition they claim to be acting on, and his buses and other seized items remain unreleased after four years. He expressed frustration, alleging that officers at Zone 2 have been suppressing his efforts to resolve the case.

When contacted, Zone 2 spokesperson Ayuba Umma said she would look into the matter but had not provided any further response at the time of the report.