A Lagos petty trader, Regina Stanley, has accused the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad of illegally detaining her son, Sunday Stanley, over her inability to pay N500,000 demanded for his release.
In a suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Regina said her son was running an errand for her in the morning of March 28, 2020 in the Morogbo area of Lagos State when he was picked up by SARS operatives raiding the area. I went to my place of trade together with my son who assists me in my trade.
“At about 11.30am, I sent my son on an errand only to be informed by my fellow traders that my son had been arrested and locked up inside the Black Maria by armed agents of the 3rd respondent.
“I hurriedly closed my trade and went to the place where my son and other persons had been arrested and locked up.
“Every effort made by me to secure the release of my son proved abortive.
“My son, together with other persons, was driven to SARS office at Ikeja police command. Agents of the respondents levied all sorts of trumped-up allegations against my son and told me to bring N500,000 to secure his release. (Punch)