The younger brother to an Islamic cleric identified as Hamzat, has cried out after soldiers invaded his block factory located at Bankole Estate, Magboro, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the process seizing his Toyota RAV 4 vehicle.
While speaking with PUNCH Metro on Saturday, Hamzat said about five soldiers in a pick-up van came looking for his younger brother, Sulaimon, who is an Islamic cleric.
According to Hamzat, trouble started when he introduced a suspected Yahoo boy, who is a brother to his girlfriend to his younger brother for special prayers.
After the prayer was successful, his girlfriend’s brother wanted more special prayers with Sulaimon introducing him to another Islamic cleric in the Agege area of Lagos, he said.
“After my brother introduced him to another Alfa for special prayer, maybe he was duped (or he didn’t get the expected returns after payment), I don’t know. My brother also said he did not know what transpired between the boy and the other Alfa”, he said.
“On Tuesday, I was called by someone that some people were at my block factory and they wanted to buy blocks. So I rushed down. I told the person the price of my blocks. In the course of that, I just saw some soldiers coming into the estate. They came to me and said they wanted to see me. I asked them what happened, but they started grabbing me.
“When I looked into their car, I saw the guy I introduced to my brother and his sister, who is my girlfriend. Then the soldiers said I should follow them. They said they would drive my car with them, but I refused, I said I couldn’t give them my car key but I would drive along with them since I did not steal or commit any crime.”
Hamzat added that the soldiers took him to their barracks at Ebute where they collected the sum of N10,000 from him and seized his car, telling him they won’t release it untill he produces his brother.
Te spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt Col Ayeni Olabisi, when contacted by PUNCH promised to find out about the matter.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said the matter is currently under investigation.
“The case is being investigated,” the PPRO told PUNCH correspondent on Sunday.
