Ogunlana also described the state police chief as a danger to the nurture of democratic practices in Nigeria, over the continued detention of Ayotunde Richard, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) against a court order.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana has described the state police commissioner, Mr Adegoke Fayoade as an embarrassment to the rule of law.
Ogunlana also described the state police chief as a danger to the nurture of democratic practices in Nigeria, over the continued detention of Ayotunde Richard, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM) against a court order.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force refused to comply with a subsisting ruling of the High Court in Ikeja which ordered the immediate release of Ayotunde Richards from detention.
Richards has been in detention for about 10 days because of a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, who is a lawyer and reportedly an aide to the church founder, Dr Daniel Olukoya.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the High Court in Lagos State on Friday ruled that the prolonged detention of Richard was not justified and therefore asked the police to release him immediately.
Ayotunde Richards had also filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Olukoya, over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.
Other respondents in the case are Davison Olaniran Adejuwon Esq; Superintendent of Police Tawose Ayoleyi Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force.
Olukoya, Davidson, Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents respectively.
However, Adesina Ogunlana while speaking at a press conference organised by the Good Governance and Accountability and Progressive Yoruba Youth Congress in Lagos on Saturday asserted that the police authorities were undermining the integrity of the judiciary.
Adesina called on well-meaning Nigerians to join them in the demand for Richard’s freedom and to rise in the defence of the integrity of the judicial system.
He lamented that he was not convinced that the incumbent holder of the office of Commissioner of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr Fayoade was fit any longer for the position.
Ogunlana explained that no police officer who snubs court orders is fit to be in the service of the police in any genuine democracy. He added that such officers are an embarrassment to the rule of law and a danger to the nurture of democratic practices in the land.
He said, "Mr. Adewunmi Ayotunde Richard popularly known as Richard has been in the illegal custody of the Nigeria Police Force since Thursday, 7th March 2024 at the headquarters of the Lagos State Command of the Police.
"In February 2024, Richard filed a fundamental human rights suit against Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, Davidson Adejuwon, Superintendent of Police, Ayoleyi Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force.
"The first hearing of the matter came up on the 6th of March 2024. Two days before on 4th March 2024, officers of the 4th Respondent drawn from the Special Squad 2 of the Commissioner of Police Lagos State invaded Richard's house illegally with the intent to arrest him.
"The mission failed at the intervention of my Chambers. On 5th March 2024, I came with Richard to the Lagos State Police Command. After interrogation a petition written by Davidson Adejuwon accusing Richard of conspiring with one Adewale Ajimosogbe to tarnish the image of Dr. D.K Olukoya and cyberbullying him.
"The police released Richard to me on the condition that I brought him back on Thursday, 7th March 2024.
"Significantly, Adewale Ajimosogbe did not recognise Richard when he was bought out from the cell and emphatically repeatedly claimed that he did not have anything to do with Richard in the publication he put up in a medium Called Post Reporter.
"On 7th March 2024, we informed the trial court of this development. The Honorable Court warned the Nigeria Police Force not to arrest and detain Richard in the pendency of the case.
"On 7th March when I went with Richard to the Lagos State Police Command, he was detained. Davidson Adejuwon, the 2nd Respondent was in hand to urge the police to hold that indeed Richard was guilty of defaming.
"All efforts to free Richard that day failed. The Commissioner of Police refused to budge over his detention. The same thing happened on 8th March 2024.
"On Wednesday, 13th March 2024, the honourable trial court at the Ikeja High Court heard our Application ex parte for the release of Richard Adewunmi from the clutches of Nigeria Police Force. The honourable court decision was to order the police to come and show cause (within 24 hours of the receipt of the order) why Richard should not be released unconditionally.
"The order was timeously served on the police but they failed, ignored and refused to file anything before the honourable court, showing cause when the matter came up on Friday, 15th March 2024.
"The counsel for the police who showed up in court said since it is the Lagos State Police Command holding Richard, the Lagos State Police Command should be joined as a Defendant so that they can obey the orders of the court.
“According to the police counsel, the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon's focus of the dispute between the parties was not in custody of Richard and does not control Lagos State Police Command, there is nothing then concerning FCID Alagbon in the matter.
"In her ruling, the trial court described the reasoning of police counsel as absurd and ordered the release of Richard from police custody forthwith.
"We served the Certified True Copies of the order of the court on both Alagbon and the Lagos State Police Command. Both acknowledged receipt but the police have refused to release Richard.
"In our humble view, the refusal of the police particularly of the Lagos State Police Command is not just merely shameful and disappointing but a critical threat to democracy.”
He continued, "The issues here are not just about a violent breach of a citizen's right to freedom and liberty but the even more humbling reality of the police authorities undermining the integrity of the judiciary.
"As we speak more than 24 hours after the order of the honourable court releasing Richard has been made, the Applicant is still in the gulag of the police at Ikeja, Lagos.
"We call on all well Nigerians to join us in demand of Richard’s freedom and to rise in the defence of the integrity of the judicial system. We are not convinced that the incumbent holder of the office of Commissioner of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr Adegoke Fayoade is fit any longer for that exalted position.
"No police officer who snubs the court and order thereof is fit to be in the service of the police in any genuine democracy. Such officers are a worrisome embarrassment to the rule of law and a serious danger to the nurture of democratic practices in the land.
"Once again, we demand that Adewunmi Ayotunde Richard be released Now!”