The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called for an independent investigation into the arrest and public parade of four people over the alleged vandalism and theft of telecommunications equipment valued at about N150 million.
The organisation said the investigation should be handled outside the police team currently investigating the case to address questions surrounding the petitions that triggered the investigation, the recovered equipment and allegations of damage to CCTV cameras during the operation.
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RULAAC Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the independent investigation should establish the facts of the case and determine whether the evidence recovered by the police could be linked to specific telecommunications facilities reportedly vandalised.
The call followed a briefing by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Annex, Lagos, Simeon Akpanudom.
Simeon Akpanudom said the FCID received 1,816 complaints between June 25 and September 18, 2026, out of which 1,803 were referred for investigation.
He said nine complaints were referred to state Commissioners of Police and other police formations, while four were declined as civil matters. According to him, 24 cases had been concluded and processed for prosecution.
The AIG Simeon Akpanudom also highlighted the arrest of four people, including a 17-year-old, over the alleged vandalism and theft of telecommunications equipment worth about N150 million.
According to Akpanudom, the FCID received a petition on August 11 from Plutolord Solicitors on behalf of ATC Telecommunications Nationwide. The petition alleged that armed persons attacked, robbed and vandalised telecommunications facilities in parts of Lagos and the South-East between March and May 2026.
The suspects were identified as Abuchi Odikemere, 29; Anyanwu Emmanuel, 28; Kayode Segun, 28; and Emmanuel Chineku, 17.
The police said they were arrested at a shop at No. 12 Pastor Alabi Close, Kosofe, Lagos.
Two surveillance cameras, 52 solar batteries, one hammer, one chisel, three small solar panels and two solar meters were reportedly recovered during the operation.
Simeon Akpanudom said the police were still working to arrest other members of the alleged syndicate who were at large, adding that those already in custody would be charged to court.
RULAAC, however, said interviews it conducted with people connected to the case had raised questions that required independent verification.
The organisation said it interviewed Chika Onwa Odo, whose business premises was where some of the suspects were arrested. According to RULAAC, Odo denied involvement in the alleged vandalism or knowingly dealing in stolen telecommunications equipment.
RULAAC said Odo told the organisation that he trades in used and decommissioned inverter and telecommunications batteries obtained from different sources, including markets and people involved in the resale and disposal of used equipment.
While acknowledging that Odo might not have receipts or complete records for some of the goods, RULAAC said the absence of receipts alone did not establish that the equipment was stolen or prove that those arrested were involved in the alleged attacks.
The organisation therefore urged investigators to establish whether the recovered batteries and other equipment could be traced to specific telecommunications facilities through serial numbers, inventories, tracking records or other evidence.
It also called for investigators to establish when and where the alleged attacks occurred and identify evidence directly linking each suspect to the incidents.
RULAAC further questioned the timing and origin of petitions allegedly submitted during the investigation. It said police records could be used to establish when the petitions were written, received, stamped and assigned for investigation.
The organisation noted that the FCID had publicly stated that the ATC petition was received on August 11, 2026, saying the chronology should be examined as part of any independent review.
RULAAC also called for an earlier case allegedly involving Odo to be reviewed. According to the organisation, Odo said he had previously been arrested over similar allegations involving batteries said to belong to ATC.
The group said the relevant police investigation file and court records should be retrieved and examined.
RULAAC also raised concerns over allegations that some officers became angry after Odo sought the organisation’s intervention in the matter.
It said such allegations should be independently investigated, stressing that citizens should not face retaliation for seeking assistance from lawyers, human rights organisations or senior police authorities.
RULAAC said it contacted AIG Akpanudom before the suspects were publicly paraded and urged him to consider Odo’s account alongside information gathered by the police.
The organisation expressed concern that the suspects were publicly presented as members of a syndicate while questions about the investigation remained unresolved.
It therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police to preserve relevant evidence, protect parties and witnesses from possible retaliation and ensure that any action taken is based on established findings.
RULAAC said it would support prosecution if credible evidence establishes that Odo, his workers or any other person participated in the alleged vandalism, robbery, theft or knowingly received stolen telecommunications equipment.
The organisation also said that if an investigation establishes that police processes were manipulated, complaints were fabricated or backdated, evidence was destroyed or police powers were abused, those responsible should equally be held accountable.
RULAAC maintained that an independent and impartial investigation would help establish the facts surrounding the case and address concerns over the arrests, recovered equipment, petitions and conduct of the investigation.
