Police explains invitation of Dakolo, Wife

The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed why it invited popular musician, Timi Dakolo, and wife, Busola, saying they were not arresting the couple, but merely inviting them for questioning.

The clarification was made after the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, called the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to the purported attempt to arrest the couple.

In a letter of invitation, which was posted on his Instagram page, Dakolo alleged that the police were attempting to arrest him and his wife for making “false allegations” against the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly COZA), Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo.

The letter immediately caused an outrage on social media, with many accusing the police of taking sides with Fatoyinbo, despite the pastor being accused of rape.

However, Buhari, while reacting to the purported arrest, had tweeted, “Attention IGP. #SayNoToRape, #JusticeForRapeVictims, #SayNoToIntimidation.”

Reacting in a statement, however, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the police merely invited the couple to make some clarification.

The statement reads in part, “The Nigeria Police are confirming that its operatives, today, July 20, 2019 served official invitation letters on Busola and Timi Dakolo.

“The invitation is sequel to an ongoing Police investigation touching on the wider and highly publicised case involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, and others.

“It is important, however, to note that a Police invitation letter is not synonymous with a warrant of arrest, and must not be construed to be one.

“Rather, it is a polite investigative tool used in eliciting information voluntarily from parties to aid Police investigations.”

Mba urged Nigerians to see the action of the Police as a legitimate act in line with the constitutional mandate of the Police, which, among other things, include the investigation of all complaints brought before it.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP MA Adamu, has appealed for calm and is reassuring Nigerians that the Police under his watch will remain professional, impartial and unreservedly committed to the pursuit of justice in this case and all other cases before it,” the statement added.