Ogun Assembly Majority Leader, Yinka Mafe sues Police for Assault

The majority leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Yinka Mafe, Wednesday, said he has instructed his lawyers to institute a court action against the Nigerian Police, Ogun State command, for allegedly attacking him late Tuesday night.

Mafe told our INDEPENDENT correspondent that no fewer than 50 security officers loaded in eight vehicles bombarded his wife’s hotel, TenthPlanet Suites and Event Centre, in Sagamu area of the state.

He is claiming N250 million damages.

The lawmaker alleged that manager of the hotel, Loveday Odinachi, was the first victim of the security operatives as he was beaten to a pulp.

Mafe said it was the banging of doors around the hotel and voice of Odinachi that attracted his attention from his room and that he approached the officers and introduced himself as the majority leader of the House of Assembly.

According to Mafe, one of the officers who responded that he was the main target, collected his phone and smashed same on the floor.

He alleged that the officer also descended on him with their weapons, saying they had the instructions of the Commissioner of Police to teach him a lesson.

When contacted, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said he wasn’t aware of the alleged attack on the lawmaker.

He, however, revealed that about 30 suspects had been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s fracas.

The lawmaker said the officers comprising mobile police officers from MOPOL 16, regular officers from Sagamu Divisional Police Headquarters and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) later searched the hotel rooms and vandalised properties.

The lawmaker, who revealed that he would be asking for N250 million damages, said nobody would be safe in his constituency if he could be so treated.

He also challenged the police to take him to court if they have any case against him.

INDEPENDENT gathered that the alleged invasion of the event center might not be unconnected with a pandemonium in Sagamu earlier on Tuesday.

It was further gathered that there was a face-off between the police and some youths of Sagamu following a fracas on Monday in another hotel.