The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday raided a shrine allegedly belonging to Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and arrested three of their members for running an illegal trial and judgement room for suspects arrested.
The state Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who led detectives to the shrine under the Opebi link bridge, said the OPC members had appointed themselves judge and jury over arrested suspects.
According to him, going by the items found in the shrine, some of the victims were often tortured to force them to own up to the crime they were arrested for.
During the raid, he said three persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the activities around the shrine, while three POS machine allegedly being used to extort money from victims were recovered.
Aside the three POS machines, other items found at the shrine were mobile telephone sets and ATM cards belonging to some victims.
Addressing journalists at the scene, Edgal said some officials of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Security and Safety Corp (LSNSC) had informed the command of the suspicious movement of people in and out of the shrine.
He said based on the strength of the information, he directed the divisional police officer in charge of Ikeja Division to investigate it.
According to him, "Based on the directive, a team of undercover policemen led by the DPO mounted surveillance in the area. So yesterday, officials of the Neighbourhood Security Safely Corps saw a man who was being dragged into the shrine.
"They were attracted to the place by the screaming they heard coming from the victim. They quickly informed the DPO who moved his men to the scene where three persons were arrested and the victim rescued.
"In as much as we believe in community policing and community partnership, let me sound a note of warning to any group of persons who may want to take laws into their hands. The command will deal decisively with members of such groups.
"Members of OPC have been helpful to the command in the past. We see them as partners, but as you can see, some group of persons under the guise of OPC has erected an office under the Opebi link bridge where they take people for trial
"They also have a shrine here where they take victims to. I believe that they force their victims to take oath. We will not tolerate this in any part of the state.
"Three persons have been arrested. One of the victims was freed. We are investigating and all those behind this barbaric act will soon be rounded up and be made to face the wrath of the law."
Edgal also said those arrested were being questioned at the command headquarters in Ikeja, and in the end the police will unravel the activities perpetuated by the group.
He also queried the rationale behind the actions of the suspected OPC members, adding that nobody or group of persons is allowed by law to detain a person.
The commissioner said: "As a law-abiding citizen, you are only allowed to arrest and after which the suspect is handed over to the police who have the constitutional responsibility to investigate and charge the suspect to court.
"What is POS machine doing inside their office? Investigation has revealed that some robbers go about with POS machine. They make their victims to transfer money to their account at gunpoint.
"We are going to be thorough in our investigation. We won’t allow any miscreant to take over Lagos. I have also ordered that the shrine and the office be demolished."
Some mechanics operating under the Opebi link bridge, who spoke on anonymity, said the alleged OPC members often arrest and torture their victims openly without recourse to human rights.
They also alleged that the OPC members open up case files for complainants and after which the persons being accused is dragged before the shrine and adjudged guilty.
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