Lagos Police Deny Locking Obasa’s Family Indoor During Impeachment

The Lagos State Police Command has refuted allegations made by the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, accusing the police of invading his residence and placing his family under house arrest on the day of his removal.

Obasa had alleged that over 200 policemen, reportedly led by the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Ishola Olawale, stormed his homes in the Agege area and GRA Ikeja, blocking the gates and restricting his family’s movements.

“My children did not sleep in this house on that day because they were locked out, and my wife kept inside — house arrest,” Obasa claimed while addressing a crowd of supporters at the Speaker’s Lodge, 47, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday.

Reacting to the allegations, Lagos Commissioner of Police Ishola Olawale dismissed Obasa’s accusations as baseless.

Speaking in an interview with Punch, Olawale said the claims were unfounded and could be easily verified.

Olawale said, “The man lives within an estate, so that means before you get to his house, you must have breached the gate of that estate. There are gatemen in the estate, why don’t you find out? 200 policemen? How many policemen do I have? Have you asked that question?”

He also said the police had no business at the assembly as they were not authorized to be in the hallowed chambers.

Olawale added, “Whatever happens there (in the assembly) has nothing to do with the police. They have ways they check themselves in and I don’t believe anybody who has no business inside the assembly is allowed in. They have their sergeants at hand who coordinate the conduct of the assembly.

“The law does not permit me to supervise or even intervene in what happens inside the assembly. It has nothing to do with me as a policeman.”

According to him, Lagos is calm, and “it’s my job to keep it calm and that’s what I’m going to do, that’s what I’m doing.”