The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has condemned in strong terms the abduction, torture, and extortion of Mr. Olawale Iyanda by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annexe, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
According to RULAAC, at about 7:20 a.m., armed policemen stormed Unity Estate in Egbeda, Lagos, and forcefully entered a residential compound without a warrant.
They reportedly dragged out Mr. Iyanda, brutalised him, and whisked him away in a minibus. Neighbours initially mistook the men for armed robbers. His wife and her 18-year-old sister were also beaten, dragged by the hair, and sprayed in the eyes with teargas.
At the FCID office in Ikoyi, Mr. Iyanda was allegedly subjected to severe torture, including beatings with gun butts, being spat upon, being dragged by his private parts, and being forced to write dictated confessions. His phone was searched, but nothing incriminating was found. Nevertheless, the officers, led by a certain Mr. Kalu, allegedly insisted that he admit to being a fraudster or drug dealer.
The ordeal reportedly culminated in extortion. The officers initially demanded ₦10 million, later reduced the demand to ₦5 million, and finally collected ₦2 million in cash along with ₦37,000 in POS charges before releasing him. Before his release, they allegedly saved his National Identity Number (NIN) details and photos of his wife, sister-in-law, and children, warning that “they were not done with him yet.”
“This was not policing. It was abduction for ransom, not law enforcement,” RULAAC stated, stressing that the acts violated the Nigerian Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and the Anti-Torture Act of 2017.
RULAAC further disclosed that while in detention, Mr. Iyanda learnt of at least three other cases where the same group of officers allegedly abducted, tortured, and extorted citizens similarly—pointing to an entrenched criminal enterprise within FCID.
The organisation, however, noted that the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of FCID Annexe, Alagbon, intervened to ensure the recovery and return of the extorted money and confirmed that the implicated officers are currently in detention. While commending this step, RULAAC insisted that accountability would remain incomplete if the officers are not dismissed, prosecuted, and made to face justice.
“This case highlights a recurring pattern of impunity at FCID Ikoyi and other police formations across Nigeria. Silence or cosmetic transfers can no longer be acceptable,” the statement read.
RULAAC therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to order a thorough and transparent investigation into the case and other linked incidents, ensure Mr. Kalu and his team are dismissed and prosecuted, guarantee restitution and protection for Mr. Iyanda and other victims and implement systemic reforms to curb torture, extortion, and criminality within FCID and other police units.
“Nigerians deserve a police service, not a predatory gang in uniform. Until there is full accountability for cases like these, public trust will remain broken and insecurity will only deepen,” RULAAC concluded.
