PHOTO: Cousin of former Minister of Justice arrested for robbery

Seventy-two-year-old veteran journalist and a self-acclaimed human rights activist, Pa Ahmed Adoke, said he had yet to fully understand why he was in custody, when he was paraded alongside 45 others on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Adoke, who is related to a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, was paraded with the others by the police in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital on Monday. But he continues to maintain his innocence as his family said he was on his own.

Even though the police did not allow journalists to interview the suspect, the septuagenarian kept shouting that he was not guilty of the allegations preferred against him by the police.
He kept shouting on top of his voice that his arrest was politically motivated. According to him, the police only invited him to come and clarify some petitions written against him. He added that it was surprising that he was being detained and paraded as a criminal.

“I am not guilty of the offences the police alleged that I committed. The police only came to search my house following a petition and found nothing. I am surprised that I am being paraded this way. I am innocent, I am innocent. I did not commit any crime,” he shouted.

Alhaji Bello Adoke, who is the father of the former Minister of Justice, confirmed to journalists later in a media briefing that the suspect was a member of the Adoke family.
He explained that the man in custody is a cousin of his son (former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke), but added that his arrest had nothing to do with the family.

He said that the suspect acted on his own and that whatever happened to him should not be linked to the family.

While parading the 45 suspects, the Force Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, in company with top police officers from the state, said the police arrested Adoke aka Buruja, John Sule (40), Adoke Jimoh (25) and Suberu Amina aka Devil (53) and other suspects for suspected armed robbery and kidnapping.

He claimed that the suspects had made useful statements and confessed to their involvement in several robberies and kidnapping, adding that investigation was still in progress.

Ojukwu said,

 “Intelligence reports and useful information from good citizens led to the arrest of the suspects known to have been fingered severally in armed robbery and kidnapping cases. Indeed all the suspects are on police wanted list.”

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