RULAAC seeks consolidation of petitions in Lagos battery dealer’s probe by multiple police formations
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, seeking the consolidation of multiple petitions and investigations involving a Lagos-based used-battery dealer, Mr. Timothy Chika Odoh, also known as Chika Onwa Odo.
In the petition dated October 7, RULAAC called for an independent investigation into complaints against Odoh, alleging that substantially similar allegations involving telecommunications equipment reportedly stolen from facilities associated with ATC Telecommunications have been taken before several police formations in Lagos.
The organisation said the complaints had reportedly been handled at the Zone 2 Command, SWAT/Adeniji Adele, FCID Annex, Alagbon, and the Lagos State Police Command.
RULAAC said the repeated involvement of different police formations raised concerns about whether the complaints represented separate criminal transactions or substantially the same allegations being repeatedly presented to different police units.
The advocacy group also called for an investigation into the role of Mr. Uche Ozoigwe, identified in the petition as a security manager associated with ATC Telecommunications.
According to RULAAC, Odoh alleged that Ozoigwe had threatened him since 2025 that he would use the police to have him imprisoned, force him out of the battery business and destroy his livelihood.
RULAAC, however, stressed that it had not independently verified the allegation, but said the subsequent pattern of petitions and police interventions made it worthy of investigation.
The group further alleged that Odoh, his workers, associates and wife had been arrested at different times in connection with the complaints.
It said that in one incident, police officers reportedly went to Odoh’s residence while he was absent, arrested his wife and removed his vehicle.
According to RULAAC, the woman was subsequently released following an intervention by the organisation and an order by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command.
The organisation said Odoh’s wife later reportedly suffered a pregnancy loss.
The organisation also raised concerns over the continued retention of property seized from Odoh.
It said goods seized from him remained with the FCID Annex, Alagbon, while his vehicle and other seized items were reportedly still in police custody at the Lagos State Command.
RULAAC further said Odoh had informed it that, according to information communicated by his lawyers, police personnel had allegedly demanded money for the release of his goods and vehicle.
The organisation said it had not independently verified the allegation but urged the police authorities to investigate it because of its seriousness.
“The release or retention of property in police custody must be determined by law and evidential requirements, not unofficial payments,” RULAAC said in the petition.
The organisation maintained that its intervention was not aimed at shielding Odoh from legitimate criminal investigation.
It said that if credible evidence established that he knowingly received or dealt in stolen property or committed any other offence, he should face the law. However, RULAAC warned that police processes should not become instruments for pursuing a private vendetta or subjecting a person to repetitive investigations over substantially the same allegations.
The organisation asked the Inspector-General of Police to call up and consolidate all petitions and investigation files relating to Odoh, ATC Telecommunications and Ozoigwe from the various police formations involved.
It also requested the establishment of an independent investigative team outside the formations that had previously handled the complaints.
RULAAC further urged the IGP to investigate Ozoigwe’s alleged role in the complaints and review the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Odoh’s wife, including whether she was arrested in lieu of her husband or on the basis of reasonable suspicion that she had personally committed an offence.
The organisation also asked the police authorities to establish the status of all seized vehicles and goods, verify their inventories and determine the legal basis for their continued retention.
It called for the release of any property no longer lawfully required as evidence.
On the alleged demands for money, RULAAC asked for an independent investigation and appropriate action against any police personnel found responsible.
The group also urged the police to prevent duplicative arrests, seizures and investigations arising from substantially the same allegations, while allowing lawful action where genuinely distinct offences or new evidence are established.
RULAAC said it had relevant communications and documentation concerning the chronology of the matter and was prepared to provide them to an independent investigative team.
“Our intervention is not intended to determine Mr. Odoh’s innocence or guilt,” the organisation said. “We ask only that all the relevant files and evidence be examined together by an impartial authority.”
