An octogenarian, Alhaja Basiratu Balogun, accused of stealing N7,000 and harrasing her neighbours, has alleged that she's being frame up by the police. She claimed that an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) at X-Squad is aiding land grabbers and cultists to take over her family land. Alhaja Balogun, who was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate's Court in Lagos, with 21 others last Wednesday for allegedly stealing N7,000 and frightening her neighbours with a single barrel gun, described the allegations as false. She said she and her family have suffered injustice. As stated by her, the police are biased against her and members of her family. Alhaja Balogun alleged that during the raid, the police bulldozed some buildings and acted as a shield for some people to take over her village. She said: “It is ridiculous, at my age, what am I doing with money that I will conspire with 21 people to steal N7,000? The fact of the matter is I was born here and grew up in the village. Some 15years ago, certain strangers showed up in the villages, laying claim to our land. “This same ACP was then attached to area ‘A’ Police Command, Lion Building. He was then a Deputy Superintendent of police 13 years ago. He did exactly the same thing. He led a police team that completely sacked us from the village. Against a directive from the Inspector-General of Police that policemen should not be involved in land matters, the ACP at X-Squad is doing otherwise. “Nothing exposed him better than that count charge No S/16/2015 that reads that the 22 of us, “and others at large on the same date, time and place, did forcefully enter a piece of land in Igando-Orudu, property of Agbaje and Elesho Family of Ibeju Lekki.” Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye, one of those whose houses were demolished, said he would fight the “injustice”. “The police at the X-Squad department of Zone 2, Onikan have abandoned their statutory duty and have become land agent. The whole thing is ridiculous. The police at General investigation (GI) of the same Zone 2 are currently investigating the same matter. The matter is still under investigation and the police at X-Squad of same zone 2 came with some cult boys to demolish our houses,” Owoeye stated.
