The couple told journalists on Monday that a series of unsuccessful calls to their son’s cell phone prompted a visit to his rented apartment on Country Home Motel Road, Benin, Edo State, where his co-tenants told them that he was arrested by the police.
They expressed worry over the incident, noting that it was unheard of that policemen would invade someone’s residence without a warrant of arrest and whisk him away like a criminal to an unknown destination.
They also alleged that apart from the sudden disappearance of their son, valuables were carted away.
The father stated, “When we did not hear from him, we decided to go to his neigbhours, who are co-tenants. It was one of them that told us that when the police came, they were banging on his door and they (the co-tenants) thought they were armed robbers. They were afraid to come out but that when he peeped through the window, he saw that it was police. He came down to ask them where they were taking him to. He said they told him to go to his room because they did not come for him.”
“We have written petitions to the Edo State Police Commissioner, Abutu Yaro, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, zone 5, Lawal Jemita, and the police force headquarters in Abuja over the incident, all to no avail.
“We are calling on the Inspector-General Of Police, Usman Baba, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to come to our aid and compel the police to produce our son.
When contacted on phone, the Police Public Relations Officer, AIG Zone 5, Tijani Momoh, confirmed the incident saying, “We have received the petition and we have taken statements from the complainant. We have also called for the file from the State Command because that was where it was first reported.
“While waiting, we have commenced investigation to ascertain whether those who arrested him are police or not. There are so many actions we are taking that cannot be disclosed to the public now, “he added.
