PFIPC scandal: Arrest of Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the law - Falana

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has criticized the Nigeria Police Force's handling of the questioning of the father of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the acclaimed Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

“

The reported arrest of Mr Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the Constitution, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and under the Nigeria Police Act.

Falana, who is representing Adeyemi, argued in a Tuesday interview with Arise News that there was no legal justification for taking the elderly man to a police station. He stated, "The reported arrest of Mr Adeyemi’s father cannot be justified under the Constitution, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and under the Nigeria Police Act."

However, Falana noted that police officers in Abuja later clarified the situation to him. "I got a call from the police officers in Abuja this evening, where I was informed that the old man wasn’t really arrested. The police merely invited him to take them to a particular place as part of their investigation, and that he was asked to make a statement," he said. The statement was not obtained under caution, and the elderly man, along with another family member who was arrested, was released after the process.

“

I got a call from the police officers in Abuja this evening, where I was informed that the old man wasn’t really arrested. The police merely invited him to take them to a particular place as part of their investigation, and that he was asked to make a statement.

Despite the clarification, Falana maintained his stance that the police could have obtained the statement without resorting to taking Adeyemi’s father to a police station. "Whichever way it is, if the police officers involved had wanted the father of Mr. Adeyemi to assist them in their investigation, they should have taken his statement in his house and not in a police station. I do hope that this will not repeat itself," he added.

“

He made a statement, not under caution, and after his statement was taken, and the family member who was arrested along with him, he was allowed to go home.

Previous reports indicated that police officers had visited the Adeyemi family residence and taken his father into custody while searching for his son. A neighbor, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the father was questioned extensively about his son's whereabouts and that police also copied contacts from his phone before his release.

“

Whichever way it is, if the police officers involved had wanted the father of Mr. Adeyemi to assist them in their investigation, they should have taken his statement in his house and not in a police station. I do hope that this will not repeat itself.