The clarification by Nigeria police authorities about the “invitation” of Timi and Busola Dakolo has riled a former presidential candidate, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili.
Timi Dakolo took to Instagram on Saturday to share a photo of invitation letters sent to him and his wife from the Office of the Inspector General of Police.
The police said the couple was needed for questioning on Tuesday over alleged “criminal conspiracy”, “falsehood”, “mischief” and “threat to life”.
Mr Dakolo had also detailed how some policemen stormed his Lekki, Lagos home purportedly to whisk him away to Abuja in connection to the rape controversy involving Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, the Senior Pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA).
The police later confirmed delivering the invitation letters to the couple but denied insinuations that it was a warrant of arrest aimed at intimidating the couple.
“The invitation is sequel to an on-going police investigation touching on the wider and highly publicised case involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo and others.
“It is important however to note that a Police Invitation Letter is not synonymous with a Warrant of Arrest, and must not be construed to be one. Rather, it is a polite investigative tool used in eliciting information voluntarily from parties to aid police investigations.
“Members of the public should see it as a legitimate act in line with the constitutional mandate of the police, which among other things include the investigation of all complaints brought before it,” a police statement read in part.
However, Ezekwesili disagreed with the police statement, saying the invasion of the residence of the Dakolos was more than an “invitation”.
Reacting to the police statement, she wrote:
Just catching up on this & seeing those pictures of the Dakolo’s report of your ‘invitation’ makes this your Statement quite curious @PoliceNG. Did not seem your officers executed a “regular police invitation”. That operation appeared extremely intimidating. Why? Explain this.
In connecting-the-dots on what is publicly available, it is logical to assert that the “invitation operation” executed by your @PoliceNG officers was a flagrant abuse of state resources. How could all that display of police might be for “merely serving invitation” on the Dakolos?
As a matter of fact, your Press Statement appears to be a damage control by @PoliceNG. Your officers have overreached on a matter of serious public interest. You’re just trying to cover-up. Better be instructed that Nigerians are watching this matter. We all want the Truth.
The Dakolos should stay strong. We all want to see the Truth and Facts of the allegation and petition they filed be professionally, effectively and conclusively investigated by @PoliceNG. It is necessary that Justice be not only done but be seen to have been done on this case.
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