Langwa was arrested and taken to FCID Annex Alagbon Lagos in order to force him to pay the disputed debt allegedly owed to his business partner, Hillary Emeka Mba.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has knocked the Nigeria Police Force spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi for being economical with the truth over the circumstances that led to the illegal arrest and detention of a businessman, Mr. Langwa Brezhnev.
Langwa was arrested and taken to FCID Annex Alagbon Lagos in order to force him to pay the disputed debt allegedly owed to his business partner, Hillary Emeka Mba.
Inibehe described the response and claims by the police spokesperson as a mere conjecture which could not be substantiated.
The statement read "Our attention has just been drawn to a statement issued by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja dated 31st July, 2023 in respect of the illegal arrest and unlawful detention of our client, Mr. Langwa Brezhnev.
"Ordinarily, we would have ignored the statement issued by the Force PRO but given the factual inaccuracies and willful misrepresentation of facts contained in the statement, we are compelled to respond and set the record straight.
"The Force PRO claims the ongoing "investigation" is in line with Police Investigation Procedure. We challenge the Force PRO to publicly confirm to the whole world that the Nigerian Police now has a new standard "Police Investigation Procedure" where people are now tracked in breach of their fundamental rights to privacy and liberty and arrested without any prior invitation whatsoever.
"Our client is a known and licensed businessman in Nigeria and has never disobeyed any lawful invitation from the Police. When our client was arrested, he demanded for a warrant but none was shown to him at the point of arrest. We challenge the Force PRO to produce and display publicly, the warrant that authorised the Police to track and arrest Mr. Langwa Breshnev.
"The Force PRO also claims that the suspect has been "off the radar". This claim is patently false, baseless, malicious and misleading. Our client Mr. Langwa Brezhnev is the Secretary of the Senior Police Officers' Mess (Honorary Committee) in Akwa Ibom State and was attending the meeting of the Mess at the Akwa Ibom State Police Command Headquarters on the 14th day of July, 2023 when he received a call from the policemen who had tracked him to his base in Uyo, that he was wanted.
"As a responsible and law abiding individual who had nothing to fear or worry about, our client told the officers that he was in a meeting at the State Command Headquarters and that he will notify them when he is done with his meeting. Upon conclusion of the meeting, our client called back the officers and they came and met with him.
"When our client asked the officers why they were looking for him, the officers pointedly told him that he was wanted in connection with a case involving one Hillary Emeka Mba and that he must go with them to Lagos because DIG Frank Frank Emeka Mba had given them a specific instruction.
"Following the intervention of a senior police officer working at the State Command, our client at the instant of the said Senior Officer spoke on the phone with DIG Frank Emeka Mba who asked our client to cooperate and follow the policemen to Lagos for the resolution of the dispute between our client and his business partner."
He said the claim by the police that Langwa was off the radar was false adding that no one ever invited him to answer any petition prior to the illegal arrest carried out on the 14th day of July, 2023.
He wondered why the police refused to inform him of his offence in writing within 24 hours in line with section 35 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria?
"Why did the police blatantly refuse to release Mr. Langwa on administrative bail after obtaining his statement despite producing a reliable surety? Why was Mr. Langwa detained for 6 days from 14th July, 2023 to 20th July 2023 before being surreptitiously taken to court to seek an Order to further detain him for 30 days in gross breach and violation of section 35 (5) of the 1999 Constitution?
"Why did the Police Investigators at FCID Annex Alagbon, Lagos particularly the IPO Inspector Isuku Jeffrey Ifah threaten our client and insist that our client must pay at least 50% of the disputed debt of N26million before his administrative bail can even be considered? How come the police rushed to court to seek a detention Order only after they were confronted about their illegal arrest and unlawful detention?”