Kogi Police: Arrest UNILORIN Lecturer Over WhatsApp Post

• Chief Elijah Olorunsuwa, a UNILORIN lecturer, was arrested by Kogi police at 5 AM over a WhatsApp post.
• Police initially told him he was going to Kwara State Police Command but diverted him to Lokoja, Kogi State.
• The arrest stemmed from a petition alleging cybercrime related to his post about the Kabba-Okehi-Oleluke road project.
• The WhatsApp post claimed World Bank approval for the road, facilitated by James Faleke, with state counterpart funding.
• Jerry Omodara, Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Security, had previously demanded the post's removal and threatened court action.

This sudden change of plans led the lecturer to believe he had been taken under false pretenses, causing him significant fear and the feeling of being kidnapped.

Chief Elijah Olorunsuwa, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Ilorin, recently recounted a distressing experience involving his arrest by law enforcement officers. The incident began around 5:00 AM when individuals knocked on his gate. Initially, his wife responded to a woman's request to see her, but the persistent knocking revealed a larger group. Upon Olorunsuwa's appearance, a man identified himself and his colleagues as policemen from the Kogi State Command, informing the lecturer he was under arrest.

When Chief Olorunsuwa inquired about the reason for his detention, he was told the details would be provided upon arrival at the command. He then requested to see an arrest warrant, but the officers claimed it had been deposited at the state command and would be presented there. Trusting their word, Olorunsuwa initially drove his own vehicle behind the police. However, after stopping at an empty office in Eyenkorin and making calls, the officers eventually convinced him to join their vehicle, promising the warrant would be shown at the state headquarters, a location his lawyer was already en route to meet him.

The situation took a concerning turn when, instead of proceeding towards the Kwara State Police Headquarters as promised, the police vehicle diverted its course towards Kogi State. Chief Olorunsuwa immediately confronted the officers about this unexpected change in destination, but they simply stated their decision to take him to Kogi. This sudden change of plans led the lecturer to believe he had been taken under false pretenses, causing him significant fear and the feeling of being kidnapped. He described the entire ordeal as harrowing, disturbing, and embarrassing.

During this alarming journey, Chief Olorunsuwa managed to send messages to several close associates, informing them that Commander Jerry Omodara had ordered his arrest. He expressed profound worry, unsure of his ultimate destination. He was eventually transported to Lokoja, where he was finally presented with a copy of the petition that had led to his arrest.

The petition against Chief Olorunsuwa centered on a WhatsApp post he had shared on a community platform. The post concerned the Kabba-Okehi-Oleluke road project, a critical infrastructure that had been in a deplorable state for over a decade. In his message, Olorunsuwa stated that he had received reliable information from a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency indicating that the World Bank had approved the road project, with its facilitation attributed to James Faleke and the expectation of counterpart funding from the state government.

Prior to his arrest, the Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Security, Jerry Omodara, had responded to Chief Olorunsuwa's WhatsApp post. Omodara demanded the lecturer remove the post and threatened legal action, stating that if he did not comply, "the court would talk to" him. Olorunsuwa, however, stood by his post, informing Omodara that he was free to pursue legal avenues if he believed an offense had been committed. The subsequent police action and the petition alleged that Olorunsuwa had committed cybercrime by disseminating what was deemed "wrong information" regarding the funding source of the road project.

This incident raises significant questions regarding police powers of arrest in Nigeria and adherence to due process. Chief Olorunsuwa's initial demand for an arrest warrant at his home, which was not produced, highlights a procedural concern. His lawyer had advised him to insist on seeing the warrant, a fundamental right during an arrest. The subsequent diversion of his journey from Kwara to Kogi State, contrary to the officers' initial statements, further compounds these concerns, suggesting a potential disregard for proper inter-state transfer protocols and the rights of the arrested individual.

The allegation of cybercrime stemming from a social media post about a public infrastructure project also underscores the potential for misuse of cybercrime laws. The case of Chief Elijah Olorunsuwa's arrest over a WhatsApp post concerning the Kabba-Okehi-Oleluke road project illustrates how public commentary, even if based on information from official sources, can lead to serious legal repercussions, particularly when it touches on sensitive government projects or officials like Jerry Omodara.

Lawyers and compliance officers in Nigeria should note the potential for police overreach and misuse of cybercrime allegations related to social media posts, particularly concerning public officials or projects. This case underscores the importance of advising clients on their rights during arrest, including insisting on a warrant, and the procedural requirements for inter-state transfers by law enforcement.

Source: Original reporting via an interview with Dare Akogun