The Nigeria Police Force says it is not arresting popular musician, Timi Dakolo, and wife, Busola, but merely inviting them for questioning.
The clarification was made barely minutes after the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, called the attention of the Inspector-General of Police to the purported attempt to arrest the couple.
In a letter of invitation which was posted on his Instagram page, Dakolo alleged that the Police were attempting to arrest him and his wife for making “false allegations” against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly.
The letter immediately caused an outrage on social media, with many accusing the Police of taking sides with Fatoyinbo despite the pastor being accused of rape.
The letter, signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP Special Tactical Squad, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Kofo Yusuf, reads, “The office is investigating a case of criminal conspiracy, falsehood, mischief and threat to life that your name was mentioned.
“You are kindly requested to interview the undersigned officer on 23/07/2019 by 1000hrs for fact finding, through DCP Ibrahim Agu with telephone number 08037864191.
“Acknowledge receipt. Accept my warmest regards, please.”
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However, Mrs. Buhari, while reacting to the purported arrest, had tweeted, “Attention IGP. #SayNoToRape, #JusticeForRapeVictims, #SayNoToIntimidation.”
Reacting in a statement, however, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the Police merely invited the couple to make some clarification.
The statement reads in part, “The Nigeria Police is confirming that its operatives, today, July 20, 2019 served official invitation letters on Busola and Timi Dakolo.
“The invitation is sequel to an on-going Police investigation touching on the wider and highly publicised case involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, and others.
“It is important, however, to note that a Police invitation letter is not synonymous with a warrant of arrest, and must not be construed to be one.
“Rather, it is a polite investigative tool used in eliciting information voluntarily from parties to aid Police investigations.”
Mba urged Nigerians to see the action of the Police as a legitimate act in line with the constitutional mandate of the Police, which, among other things, include the investigation of all complaints brought before it.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP MA Adamu, has appealed for calm and is reassuring Nigerians that the Police under his watch will remain professional, impartial and unreservedly committed to the pursuit of justice in this case and all other cases before it,” the statement added. [PUNCH]
