RULAAC Raises Alarm Over Police Raid On Chika Odo’s Lagos Residence

The Rights and Accountability Liberation Centre (RULAAC) has raised concerns over an alleged police operation at the Lagos residence of businessman Chika Onwa Odo, during which his wife, Mrs Ogechi Juliet Chika, was reportedly arrested.

RULAAC Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the officers allegedly took away a Lexus RX 350 belonging to Odo during the operation at the residence in Ikorodu.

According to the organisation, the incident occurred amid an ongoing investigation involving Odo at the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit in Adeniji Adele and the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Alagbon, Lagos.

Nwanguma said Odo reported that the officers who arrived at his residence did not identify themselves or explain the reason for the operation, his wife’s arrest or the removal of the vehicle.

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He said one of the young men staying with Odo later identified one of the officers as Johnbull Ayo, whom he reportedly knows as an investigating police officer with SWAT.

RULAAC also alleged that the officers first visited Odo’s former residence, where they arrested the current occupant and allegedly compelled him to lead them to Odo’s present home.

The rights group questioned the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Odo’s wife and demanded clarification on whether she was connected to the investigation.

It also asked the police to explain the legal and evidential basis for her arrest and clarify why the Lexus was taken away.

RULAAC further raised concerns about the CCTV system at Odo’s residence. Nwanguma said Odo later discovered through his phone that the system was no longer working or accessible remotely.

However, he stressed that Odo had not confirmed that the CCTV equipment was physically damaged or tampered with.

RULAAC said the CCTV allegation should be independently verified, noting that Odo’s suspicion was influenced by an earlier allegation that police officers interfered with CCTV equipment at his business premises during a previous operation.

The organisation maintained that it does not oppose legitimate police investigations and would not seek to protect anyone against whom credible evidence of criminal conduct exists.

Nwanguma said law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to investigate allegations but must operate within the law and respect due process.

He also argued that relatives of people under investigation should not be arrested or have their property seized merely as a means of putting pressure on the suspect.

RULAAC said its concerns were further heightened by what it described as the appearance of possible retaliation following Odo’s earlier complaints over the arrest of some of his workers by SWAT.

The organisation recalled that the workers were subsequently publicly paraded by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, FCID Annex, Alagbon, an action it said raised questions about the presumption of innocence and fair hearing.

RULAAC called for transparency in the ongoing investigation and urged authorities to ensure that all arrests, searches and seizures are lawful, properly documented and subject to independent scrutiny.

The group requested urgent clarification on the whereabouts and status of Odo’s wife, the basis for her arrest, the current location of the Lexus and the identities and units of the officers involved.

It also called for the status of the CCTV equipment and recordings at Odo’s residence and business premises to be independently established, particularly if they could be relevant to the investigation.

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