One Comrade Mahmoud Alhassan has recounted how officers of the dissolved Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) from Adeniji Adele, Lagos visited Ayetoro to arrest the Serikin Fulani, Alhaji Rebe, his Deputy, Sidi Budoru and three others for alleged kidnapping.
Alhassan, who is the Public Relations Officer of the Arewa Political Group, Ogun State, had filed a petition before the Ogun State Judicial Panel of Investigation.
Appearing before the panel on Thursday, Alhassan alleged that the FSARS team was led by one CSP Ibrahim Yusuf and one DSP Ganiu Ajayi, towards the last quarter of 2020.
The native of Zamfara told the panel that after arresting the Fulani leaders and other suspects, the Serikin was released after allegedly paying a sum of N400,000.
But, the Deputy, Serikin Fulani, who could not afford the money was charged at the Ayetoro Magistrate Court in Yewa North and he is presently being remanded alongside two others at Ilaro prison, the panel was told.
Alhassan accused the FSARS operatives of “incriminating Budoru by asking him to pose for a photograph with a gun that does not belong to him.”
According to him, “one of the suspects arrested with two locally-made guns had been set free” after he had reportedly paid some undisclosed amount of money for his release.
The Hausa-Fulani indigene disclosed that guns were recovered from two other suspects, who are currently at the Ilaro prison with Budoru.
The Arewa Political Group spokesman appealed to the panel to get justice for the Deputy Serikin Fulani of Ayetoro, who he said has two wives and 11 children.
“We were there when Sidi was arrested. No gun was recovered in his house, but the police implicated him by giving him a gun to hold under duress for a photograph.
“Sidi has two wives and eleven children. The children can’t go to school again and the wives can’t pay for their rented apartment. Please we demand justice for this man. I also want the officers involved to refund the bribe they collected from Alhaji Rebe,” he pleaded.
Responding, the panel assured that the case would be investigated.
However, the Chairman of the Ogun judicial panel, Justice Solomon Olugbemi (rtd) said, “We can’t deal with a matter already in court. The court would be allowed to finish its work.”
Fulani leaders arrested in Ogun for alleged kidnapping, SARS collected N400,000 bribe – Man tells panel
