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Nigerian Activist Abiodun Thomas Goes Into Hiding Over Fear For Her Life After Speaking Out Against Police Spokesman Adejobi, Alleges Abduction Plot

Nigerian Activist Abiodun Thomas Goes Into Hiding Over Fear For Her Life After Speaking Out Against Police Spokesman Adejobi, Alleges Abduction Plot
November 8, 2024

She revealed that Adejobi had spread word to numerous individuals, falsely claiming she had a case to answer due to allegedly bullying many Nigerians, including himself, on social media. 

Comrade Abiodun Olamide Thomas, also known as Horlarmidey Africano, has raised concerns about her safety, alleging that ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, is targeting her for harassment over her criticism of the Nigerian police.

 

Abiodun said she hasn't committed any crime, other than participating in the #EndSARS fourth memorial struggle held on October 20, 2024, during which she was brutalised. 

 

According to Abiodun, her money stolen while in police custody and her mobile phone was also destroyed.

 

She emphasized her consistent stance against police brutality, saying, "I have always pick holes or punch any posts or comments by Muyiwa, especially when he releases press statements about protests or protesters, laced with lies and propaganda. So, he might have been looking for an opportunity to pick me up." 

 

"He has deployed men of Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a special tactical squad of the Nigeria Police Force to hunt for me anywhere," the activist said.

 

She revealed that Adejobi had spread word to numerous individuals, falsely claiming she had a case to answer due to allegedly bullying many Nigerians, including himself, on social media. 

 

According to Adejobi, she should surrender to the police or face forced arrest. However, she countered that she had received no official police invitation regarding any alleged crime. 

 

She questioned whether the Force Police Public Relations Officer aimed to exploit his position and authority to abduct her, merely to demonstrate his power.

 

Speaking with SaharaReporters on Friday from her place of hiding, Abiodun revealed that so many police officers have been calling and asking her to meet them at some locations, probably to abduct her on the orders of Adejobi. 

 

According to her, some of the policemen have also made attempts to bully her on social media platforms. 

 

According to her, one of such people identified as Isijola Victor, said "they have not beaten me up well and that's why I am still talking". 

 

"He also called me unprintable names and when I said I'll post it on Take It Back global platforms, he deleted some of the comments and locked his profile.

 

"They were bullying me on my page, especially on a particular post," she said. 

 

Narrating the event, she said: "On the 27th of October, Scotty Aluta of Take It Back Movement (TIB), Lagos coordinator called to tell me that SP Benjamin Hundeyin (Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer), requested for my contact from him and he wanted to give. So, I said no problem since I know he is my coordinator and I have confidence in the movement. 

 

"SP Hundeyin later called me to say that his boss needed my number, I said okay, he paused for a while on the phone and told me it's not the CP (Commissioner of Police) but ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi. I asked what Muyiwa needed my number for and he said probably he saw my video online and wanted to reach out to confirm my state of health, I said okay. 

 

"Four days later, which was on a Thursday, (penultimate Thursday), a police officer called me and asked me to come to Ogbomoso, claiming that a petition was written against me. I posted the recorded conversation with the officer subsequently and his contact on the TIB group and lots of comrades called the officer."

 

She further stated that when different people started calling her, she raised an alarm on SaharaReporters news platform.

 

Continuing, Abiodun said around 11.30 pm on Thursday, one Mr Rotimi called her from Ogun State to tell her that one Mr Shotunde Lanre was arrested and had been at Sango since Wednesday. 

 

"It was learnt that it was Mr Lanre's mum that they (police) arrested when they did not meet him at home and he was asked to show up, and when he went there, he was arrested while his mum was released. They said he is suspected to be dating me and he must provide me. He is still being held in police custody.

 

"I do not have any relationship with Mr Lanre. I even blocked him on Facebook because of his comments on my posts during struggles. He is a politician and a member of the APC (All Progressives Congress), who has always condemned most of our struggles and sometimes makes jokes out of serious issues concerning the nation," she narrated.

 

Abiodun revealed that some police sources have also called and told her that Olumuyiwa Adejobi had given instructions to IRT personnel to find her by all means and bring her to Abuja as instructed by the IGP (Inspector General of Police). 

 

"I have done nothing wrong, I am only being hunted for participating in the #EndSARS memorial struggle," she said. 

"I am not afraid but just letting Nigerians know that anything can happen from now as they are said to be tracing me through my Facebook friends and activists."

 

She, however, added that when she responded to ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi's message on Wednesday on a loop, he vowed to deal with her for 'bullying' him.

 

Meanwhile, efforts made by SaharaReporters to reach ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on his mobile phone for his comments and reaction were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.  

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