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By Taiwo Owoeye –
A newly surfaced case in Ondo State is raising serious concerns about police conduct and alleged misuse of authority under Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Abiodun Asabi, who was tasked with overseeing security and restoring peace in Zone 17, covering Ondo and Ekiti States. The directive, as reported by the Inspector General of Police in February, emphasised that AIG Asabi was to “oversee a comprehensive and coordinated security response” to bring stability to the region. However, events since his assumption of office appear to tell a different story, with critics pointing to alleged bias and interference in ongoing cases.
The case at the centre of the controversy involves a violent incident that took place on 22 April 2022. During what was described as a peaceful gathering, Olaleye Awonusi, the primary defendant, allegedly attacked one of the complainants, Alhaji Sule Alimi, smashing a bottle over his head in an unprovoked assault that left him injured and bleeding. Reports indicate that Awonusi then instructed his associates, including Dotun Awonusi, Adesoji Adeyemi, and Azeez Akinbote, to assault others present, prompting Alimi to flee and seek protection from the Ondo Police Area Command.
Initially, the case against Awonusi was struck out but has recently been reinstated after extensive public agitation, including widespread media coverage highlighting alleged injustices in the case. Awonusi, who briefly celebrated freedom from the court, soon found himself embroiled once more as the case was revived. In response, Awonusi reportedly sought intervention from AIG Asabi’s office to also file new complaints against his nominal complainants, including allegations against Alimi and Chief Barrister Loghofela Ayoola, relating to an alleged assault on Dotun Awonusi and his wife, Aina—an issue that had previously been established as untrue by the office of the Police Area Commander situate at Ondo, in whose office the said Dotun Awonusi had fled through the window to avoid prosecution.
As tensions escalated, the nominal complainants-turned-suspects responded by filing a Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement Action with the Federal High Court in Akure, aiming to react to what they believe to be an orchestrated campaign of harassment and intimidation. Court documents were served on the investigating officer and AIG Asabi, formally notifying them of the legal action.
Yet, according to the defendants’ legal team, surveillance and alleged harassment continued. Officers from AIG Asabi’s office have been reported to be keeping watch over the homes of both Alimi and Ayoola, allegedly using unmarked vehicles to conduct their operations. Critics have raised questions over the use of police resources in what they see as a pursuit of private interests, purportedly directed by an individual with substantial influence.
In light of these developments, the defendants’ attorneys are now seeking a transfer of the case file to a higher authority, arguing that an impartial investigation is necessary to uphold justice. They contend that the outcome of this case has far-reaching implications, not only for the immediate parties but for public trust in the judicial and law enforcement system in Nigeria.
