A formal petition has been filed against Inspector Saka of the Owode Yewa Divisional Police Station, accusing the officer of gross misconduct, unlawful detention, and a severe breach of fundamental human rights.
The petition was submitted by the civil society organisation, The Advocates For Social Justice (TAFSJ), on behalf of Mr. Ebenezer Sanni.
According to the document, signed by Comrade Michael Agassi for the organisation, Inspector Saka arrested and detained Mr. Sanni from the early hours of Thursday, September 4, 2025, until Saturday, September 6, 2025. The arrest was reportedly made over a case of personal indebtedness, a purely civil matter.
TAFSJ argues that the arrest is in direct violation of Section 32(2) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which explicitly states, “No person shall be arrested merely on a civil matter or breach of contract.”
The petition further alleges that Mr. Sanni’s detention, which spanned approximately 72 hours, was prolonged because he was unable to pay a N30,000 bribe, which the officers allegedly referred to as “bail.” TAFSJ claims that even after the debt in question was settled in the presence of Inspector Saka, the officer refused to release Mr. Sanni due to the non-payment of the alleged bribe.
In a troubling twist, the rights group revealed that Mr. Sanni had initially visited the station on September 4 to report a case of breaking and entry committed against him. However, instead of investigating his complaint, Inspector Saka and his team allegedly arrested the complainant and detained him over the unrelated civil debt.
The petition cites Section 35(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty, as having been violated. It also references a recent statement by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Nigerian Bar Association conference on September 2, 2025, where he publicly reiterated the prohibition against police making arrests in civil disputes.
In its call to action, TAFSJ urged police authorities to investigate Inspector Saka’s conduct swiftly. “If these kind of bad eggs in the Nigeria Police Force are not brought to the book… the reputation of the entire Police Force could be dragged to the mud,” the statement read.
The organization has requested that the police leadership take all necessary actions within the law to provide justice for Mr. Sanni and to make an example of the officer to deter future misconduct.
