Nigerian Police Arrest Female Activist, Abiodun Thomas On Orders Of ACP Adejobi For Criticising His Comments On Officers' Excesses

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested an activist, Comrade Abiodun Olamide Thomas, also known as "Horlarmidey Africano" for criticising the excesses of the operatives of the Force.

SaharaReporters had reported on November 8, how she raised concerns about her safety, alleging that ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, was targeting her.

SaharaReporters, however, gathered on Friday that she was "abducted" in the early hours on Friday in Lagos.

According to sources, the police first arrested her brother on Thursday and used him to track her this morning where she was abducted in her house around Somolu area of Lagos and taking to Alade police station.

One of the sources told SaharaReporters on Friday that the daughter used her phone to send a distress message to the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB) loop.

After her arrest, the police released the brother whom they hold as a belt, and then drove Olamide to the State Command, Ikeja, where she is currently being held.

"They first abducted one of his brother yesterday, he was taken to Alade police station before being driven to the state command. I called the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin and he confirmed she’s with them," said one of the sources.

Abiodun, had in November told SaharaReporters that she hasn't committed any crime, other than participating in the #EndSars memorial struggle held on October 20, 2024, during which she was brutalised, her money stolen at the police custody and phone destroyed.

According to her, she had always condemned police brutality, adding "I have always picked hole or punched any posts or comments by Muyiwa especially when he releases press statements about protests or protesters, laced with lies and propaganda. So, he might have been looking for an opportunity to pick me up.

"He has deployed men of Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a special tactical squad of the Nigeria Police Force to hunt for me anywhere," the activist said.

She revealed that Adejobi had told so many people that she has case to answer, claiming that she had been bullying many Nigerians including himself on social media and therefore she should turn herself to police or she will be picked up.

Meanwhile she said no police official invitation has been extended to her for committing any crime, wondering whether the Force Police Public Relations Officer wants to use his Police position and brute force to abduct her, to show that he can.

While speaking to SaharaReporters, Abiodun revealed that so many police officers had been calling and asking her to meet them in some locations, probably to abduct her for Adejobi. Some of the policemen had even gone to her social media platforms to bully her.

According to her, one Isijola Victor, a police officer said "they have not beaten me up well and that's why I am still talking. He also called me unprintable names and when I said I'll post it on TIB global platforms, he deleted some of the comments and locked his profile.

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