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By Christopher Oji, Lagos
Relatives of 20 artisans who were last Friday arrested at a construction site in the Awoyaya area of Lagos State have raised the alarm over the continuing detention of their loved ones in Zone 2 cell, Onikan, without telling them the crime committed by them.
The families have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, and the state Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to help ensure the immediate release of their members.
The workers were arrested Friday morning when armed policemen invaded the Awoyaya area of Ajah before 15 houses under construction were demolished.
The family members stated that those arrested were bricklayers, labourers and site managers who were only working for survival, adding that they had since Friday been detained at two police detention facilities at Elemoro Area Command and Zone 2 Police Command.
The family members also accused the police of not being able to say any particular offence of the arrested labourers other than there was an order from Abuja.
They also appealed that the arrested workers should not only be released as a matter of urgency but also should not be transferred to Abuja since they have not been accused of committing any crime.
The relatives of the arrested workers also appealed to the IGP to order a thorough investigation into their arrest.
A family member of one of the arrested workers Mrs Popoola said: “My brother had gone to work on Friday and when we did not see him, we contacted some of his co-workers. We were told that some policemen from the Lagos command Headquarters and zone came to the site to arrest them.
“My husband is just a site engineer. They were first taken to Elemoro Area Command on Friday, but they have now been transferred to Zone 2.
“When we got to Zone 2 again today, they said that the order to arrest them was from Abuja and that only those in Abuja can say their offence.
“I know my husband is not a criminal and could not have committed any offence. He was just looking for a way to take care of his family. The police should release him.”
Another relative of a bricklayer, Tolani Sulaimo, said: “The worst thing is that nobody is ready to tell us their offence and they are keeping them in a police cell.
“They were first taken to an Area Command. We were told that we could not bail them that they will get to Zone 2 before they can be released.
“Now at Zone 2, they are saying that they can only be released in Abuja without being linked to any criminal offence. These are just labourers and bricklayers, who have only gone to fend for themselves and their families.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the image-maker in charge of the Zone 2 Police Command, Hauwa Idris Adamu failed as calls to her mobile phone lines were not answered on Monday.
The zone 2 Police spokesperson had earlier on Saturday denied being aware of the operation by the policemen but promised to find out and get back to our correspondent but could not do so as to at the time of filing this report.
