A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr. Adedotun Ajulo, has petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC), calling for an investigation into the conduct of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Jimoh Moshood Olorundare, Commissioner of Police (INTERPOL) Fidelis Ogarabe Ndubuisi, and ACP Mohammed Usman over their handling of the criminal investigation involving businessman Alhaji Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi.
In the petition addressed to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Ajulo, who said he was acting on behalf of his client, alleged that the officers engaged in gross abuse of office, criminal defamation, media trial, conduct unbecoming of senior police officers, and violations of the constitutional presumption of innocence guaranteed under Nigerian law.
According to the petition, Akanbi, described as a businessman, estate developer and community leader from Ajiran Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, had previously honoured several police invitations concerning investigations into communal disturbances and the deaths of Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Ademola Akinloye. The petition maintained that despite multiple investigations by different police formations, no credible evidence had linked him to the alleged offences.
The lawyers alleged that while Akanbi was abroad receiving medical treatment, he was publicly declared wanted by then Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood, on February 19, 2026, without prior invitation or an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The petition argued that the declaration was made without exhausting investigative procedures or obtaining any judicial pronouncement establishing criminal liability, adding that it violated the constitutional presumption of innocence. It further claimed that the wanted declaration led to attacks on the client's business interests, destruction of landed properties allegedly worth billions of naira, and significant reputational damage.
Ajulo stated that following a complaint to the Inspector-General of Police on February 23, 2026, the investigation was transferred from the Lagos State Command to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) X-Squad, Alagbon, after the Inspector-General found merit in the request for an independent investigation.
The petition also disclosed that Akanbi instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Lagos State High Court challenging the legality of the wanted declaration and the publication of his image, while also contesting the absence of any prior invitation before he was declared wanted.
The lawyers further alleged that despite the pending court proceedings, ex parte orders were obtained for Akanbi's arrest and remand, one of which was later set aside by a Magistrate Court on the grounds of alleged fraud, material non-disclosure and misrepresentation. They claimed that a subsequent application seeking similar relief was also declined, with the court directing that Akanbi be invited to appear before investigators upon his return to Nigeria.
According to the petition, Akanbi voluntarily returned from medical treatment abroad after notifying investigators of his intention to honour police invitations. However, he was arrested in the Republic of Benin by local authorities at the request of the Nigeria Police Force before being handed over to INTERPOL Nigeria for transfer to Lagos.
The legal team alleged that while in police custody, Akanbi was compelled to wear a shirt bearing the inscription "WANTED," photographed in handcuffs and leg chains, and that the images were later circulated on social media, amounting to public humiliation and a violation of his constitutional rights. It further claimed that he was held in solitary confinement under degrading conditions until the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police.
The petition also accused AIG Moshood of continuing to hold media briefings after the investigation had reportedly been transferred from his control, alleging that comments made during press conferences portrayed Akanbi as guilty before the conclusion of investigations and before any judicial determination of the allegations.
Ajulo argued that the public statements made during the press briefings amounted to media trial, criminal defamation and prejudice to the administration of justice, contending that they undermined the constitutional rights of the accused to fair hearing and the presumption of innocence.
The petition further alleged that the officers' actions demonstrated bias, citing the declaration of Akanbi as wanted without prior invitation, repeated media commentary while court proceedings were pending, circulation of photographs depicting him in chains, and public appeals for additional complaints against him.
Among other reliefs, the petitioner urged the Police Service Commission to investigate the roles played by AIG Moshood, CP Fidelis Ogarabe Ndubuisi and ACP Mohammed Usman; constitute an independent disciplinary panel; determine whether their actions violated the Constitution, the Police Act and police regulations; and impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions if found culpable.
The petition also requested directives compelling the officers to retract the allegedly defamatory statements, issue public apologies, remove publications and photographs portraying Akanbi as a convicted criminal from official platforms, and introduce institutional guidelines prohibiting media trials and prejudicial public comments on criminal suspects.
In conclusion, the lawyers maintained that the petition was not intended to obstruct criminal investigations but to ensure that police powers are exercised within constitutional limits and in accordance with the rule of law, urging the Police Service Commission to investigate the allegations and take steps to preserve public confidence in the integrity and professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force.
