Why IGP Egbetokun Is Afraid of Arresting Adewusi

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Until July 2, 2024 when he was suspended indefinitely by the national leadership of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Gbamgbala Adewusi was the chairman of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) chapter.

Adewusi

Adewusi was not only indicted for reportedly embezzling, mismanaging and appropriating  ANLCA’s monies at the airport chapter, the National Executive Committee (NECOM)  accused him of occupying the office unlawfully,and vide unethical means including fraudulent and illegal manourvres, bothering on procured official abuses and wholesale thuggery.

Records show that his suspension despite been thwarted with the alleged support and connivance of the Nigeria Police followed the association’s laid down rules and the due procedure, to which industry observers say Adewusi reluctantly and haphazardly submitted; in a manner reminiscent of a dissident.

With opposition trailing his emergency as chairman of MMIA chapter from day one, it is believed that Adewusi procured the questionable support of the police to sustain his controversial tenure up until he was shown the red card; nevertheless that once again, he was believed to have used the self same police to frustrate his lawful suspension.

The NECOM in a statement announcing Adewusi’s suspension apart from charging him with financial malpractices accused him of failure to show up at the Disciplinary CommitteeNECOM set up to enable him and three others defend themselves against the charge of corruption.

IGP Egbetokun

This is even as the association urged the general public not to carry out any transaction with the suspended members on behalf of ANLCA until their suspension is revised. The NECOM warned that no amount of subterfuge and orchestrated blackmail will deter it from carrying out its lawful duty and enjoined members to conduct themselves responsibly.

The letter conveying the suspension order signed by the National Secretary, Mr. Fakunle Olumide reads: “This is to notify the entire members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) of the suspension of the membership of the under listed from the Association: Mr. Bamgbala Adewusi of ASHOV Nig.Ltd/BATOLAB Nigeria Limited…

“The decision to suspend the membership of the above persons is premised on their failure/refusal to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to defend themselves over the documented allegations of financial malpractices bordering on embezzlement of Association money as stated in Section 24 (10) of the 2023 constitution as amended.

“Consequently, the above stated members henceforth cease to be recognized as members of the Association, and no transaction shall be conducted with them in their former capacities as members of the Association until further notice.”

With plenty money to play around with, Adewusi who is believed to have been enjoying the protection of the Nigeria Police, and lately the Nigerian Air Force as well as the Department of State Security, proved both inaccessible and untouchable by reasons of constantly been shielded.

The questionable protection he enjoys from the security and defence apparatus helped in no small way in undermining good behaviour, disciple and order in the association.

This prompted ANLCA national leaders including few individual members to petition the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, early 2024. According to informed sources, the petition was re-routed to the Force Special Fraud Unit (SFU) Ikoyi Lagos by the IGP for investigation and further actions.

Consequently Adewusi was reportedly invited, detained and later granted bail. Those whose business it is to know revealed that as the investigation progressed and more facts emerged, Adewusi allegedly resorted to play ball the big way as he allegedly bought over the SFU Commissioner of Police (CP), Godwin Omodeide, purportedly from getting serious with the case.

Confirming the development, a source in the Office of the Board Chairman of ANLCA, explained that whereas the investigation ended more than six months ago, the Unit CP failed to charge the case to court. The source added that when the media got wind of the developments likely to frustrate the case and started sniffing around and asking questions, the matter was quickly charged to court.

He adds however that the matter ended there as Omodeide allegedly refused to order the arrest of Adewusi, which inaction is akin to gross dereliction of duty.

“In the past six months the investigation has been concluded, what is left is to charge the matter to court. I understand the Unit has been inviting Adewusi in the past three months but that he refused to make himself available.

“You know that in law, it is the police that have the responsibility to produce him in court. When one of our chieftains asked the SFU Commissioner why the case is dragging and why he failed to order his arrest, he responded that the Unit does not make arrest.

“Remember that it was the same Unit that granted him bail when he was invited earlier. So if the same police department is asking the suspect to come and he is not doing so, it means he has jumped bail. At least there are evidences that the CP sent letters of invitation to him on three occasions and we also gathered from insider sources that Adewusi would be smoked out from wherever he is hiding the moment the CP gives the order for his arrest.

“Remember also that in August, ANLCA demanded that the matter be charged to court but the CP played the fast one by preaching amicable settlement. Out of respect for his office, our leaders agreed to his suggestion of two weeks’ time frame to seek amicable settlement, promising to charge the case to court if the settlement failed.

“ANLCA have since requested that the case be charged to court but it appears the Unit is shy of doing so. This is a man who has mismanaged over N300 million association funds in the past three years.  That was why a petition was written to the IGP which was passed to the SFU for investigation and after completing their investigation, the Unit is dragging its feet to charge the man to court.

“We have been hearing rumours that Adewusi has doled out more than N10million to settle the SFU hence the CP is dragging his feet. Don’t forget that they collected N4.5 million from us which they explained is for logistics cost to carry out the investigation, to go to banks, and to do this and do that”, our source lamented.

Interestingly, like the SFU, there are reports that the Airport Police Command has been pampering and protecting Adewusi like a minister of the federal republic. ANLCA leadership alleged that Adewusi have also rained money on the CP following which he have been deploying personnel for guard duty and for the personal protection of Adewusi, designed to shield him from the internal mechanism of ANLCA disciplinary measures.

The most interesting development is that the MMIA Air Force Command and the DSS have allegedly been brought into the bargain to provide Adewusi with escorts and body guards; as personnel of these agencies are said to be regularly deployed according to Adewusi’s whims and caprices.

On January 15, 2025, Adewusi reportedly flooded the chapter secretariat with police men and air force personnel to again dodge handing over and vacating the office, having forcefully stayed put for a three year term tenure according to the constitutional provision of the association.

Special Senior Assistant to the National President on Special Duty, Joe Sanni said Adewusi’s intention is to continue to remain in office indefinitely, while the police, air force and the state security service avail themselves to his services, regardless of his lawless disposition and rascality.

“When a non state actor takes over control of the police and our security apparatus including an arm of the military; such a mockery is only possible when the leadership is complicit”, Sanni argued.

However, speaking with our reporter when contacted for clarification, the SFU Public Relations Officer, Johnson Omodolapo said the case in question has been charged to court; even as he pooh-pooh the allegation of official compromise and the suggestion of abdication of duty.

“Please be informed that the information you are working with is grossly inaccurate and misleading. At this juncture, it is rather unprofessional to discuss the findings/recommendations of investigation into the petition of ANLCA against ADEWUSI BAMGBALA with the press or other 3rd parties.

“However, be assured that in furtherance to the conclusion of the investigation, PSFU had filed criminal charges against Adewusi Bamgbala at the Federal High Court and Tinubu Magistrate Court”, Omodolapo said.

Effort to get the Police Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi to comment on the issue was unsuccessful as he did not pick calls made to his telephone. He did not also respond to a Whatsapp message sent to him on the matter.Same goes for his subordinate colleague at the MMIA Command, Supo Ibikunle; and the office of the Air Force Command.

It is sad that at a time the world is making more progress in promoting the rule of law, order and justice, IGP Egbetokun is unable to rein in his management officers to the extent that the police is been ridiculed with accusations of  compromise and alleged corruption of the nation’s basic judicial system.

To suggest that an investigation unit of the police force lacks the power of arrest is not only stretching the imagination but amount to the collective insult of our intelligence.

IGP Egbetokun  must be seen to take more than just passing interest in the ANLCA matter and to call his men to order, and to caution them to desist from destroying the basic tenets of social cohesion, peace, order and disciple, and public decorum.