Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos have been accused of unlawfully detaining a young man, Adejunwo Anthony Ayomide, and falsely branding him a cultist after he reportedly refused to pay the N1 million allegedly demanded for his release.
According to SaharaReporters, it was gathered that the incident began after a domestic dispute between Ayomide and a female neighbour escalated into a police case, which the neighbour later attempted to withdraw.
However, officers from the Pedro Police Station in Shomolu reportedly changed the narrative, accusing Ayomide of cultism and transferring him to the notorious Crack Division at Gbagada Police Station.
“His name is Adejunwo Anthony Ayomide. He’s currently being detained at Gbagada police station, Crack Division. He had an issue with his neighbour, which she reported to the police, but after she agreed to withdraw the case, the police suddenly tagged him a suspected cultist,” a family source told SaharaReporters.
According to the family, trouble started when the neighbour—who lives beneath Ayomide’s apartment—accused him of damaging her ceiling after water allegedly leaked from his toilet.
After some back and forth, the woman hired workers to carry out repairs while Ayomide was away.
The workers climbed onto his balcony to do the job, which angered him, particularly because he often leaves his back door unlocked.
“They had a serious argument about it, and both of them exchanged threats. The neighbour went to the police and told them he had threatened her life,” the source added.
“On Friday, August 2, some officers came to arrest him around 10 pm, but he refused to follow them at night, especially since they weren’t in uniform. He told them he’d report to the station on Monday with his lawyer.”
However, two days later—on Sunday, August 3—the police reportedly stormed Ayomide’s residence, forcibly entered, ransacked his room, and arrested his roommate and brother in his absence.
“They came back, forced their way in, turned the place upside down, and arrested his roommate and younger brother. A few hours later, Ayomide reported himself at Pedro Police Station and was immediately thrown into a cell without being allowed to explain his side,” the source continued.
The family said that by Monday, August 4, they had successfully resolved the matter with the neighbour, who agreed to withdraw the complaint. However, police officers refused to release Ayomide, claiming he had been disrespectful to them.
“They said he was rude on the night he was arrested and that they would transfer him to the defunct SARS for ‘discipline’. They ignored the fact that no one listened to his side of the story,” another relative explained.
The family said officers later demanded ₦1 million from Ayomide to secure his release. When the family refused to pay, Ayomide was transferred to Gbagada Police Station and formally labelled a “suspected cultist” — a common tactic used by Nigerian police to justify prolonged detention without evidence.
When SaharaReporters contacted CSP Fagade Mutiu Adewale, the Commander of the Tactical Team codenamed “Python” at the Gbagada Crack Division, he denied the bribery allegation.
“There is no such request for N1 million. The suspect was arrested based on credible information linking him to cult-related activities,” CSP Fagade told SaharaReporters.
He confirmed that the suspect would be arraigned on Wednesday for the alleged offence.
