By David Olalekan.
Popular soul singer, Timi Dakolo on Saturday, raised the alarm about some strange men lurking around his premises, which he later confirmed to be police officers sent to deliver a letter of invitation for questioning over alleged falsehood.
Reacting to the letter, Dakolo accused the senior pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, Biodun Fatoyinbo of allegedly bribing security officials investigating the rape case to delay summons, while scheming to force the case to Abuja.
The singer vowed to defend his family from the “unrelenting attack of a weak man who thinks he can use money and power to cover for all of his crimes.”
He wrote on his Instagram page: “Our lawyers had told us to get ready for this letter. We have long been ready for your intimidation and dirtiness. For your Ilorin methods and underhand tactics.
“A pastor? Bribing investigating officials to delay summons? Paying dirty bloggers to fabricate things that cover the truth, going to the IG’s people under dark to force this case to be posted to Abuja?
“Now this an investigation in Abuja,when you haven’t answered to the rape case against you in Lagos? Rubbishing the legal and criminal system?
“And sending a bus load of armed policemen and shady men lying in wait to intimidate my wife and children today, forcing their way into my home?
“Is that how the REAL police deliver a letter? This is best you can do? This is why all the hurting women and families haven’t come against you?
“You picked the wrong one and you picked the wrong time. Nigerians are more awake than you think.
“If it’s a fight you want, it’s a war you will get…your filthiness under the guise of Christianity I will expose every single thing.
“I will fight for my wife and my children -it’s the promise I made with my life and one I intend to keep.
“I will defend them from the unrelenting attack of a weak man who thinks he can use money and power to cover for all of his crimes. Like I said, we have since been ready.
“GIVE US THE FIRE, THEN WATCH ME WORK!”
The First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, in reaction to viral reports about the alleged police intimidation, called the attention of the Inspector General of Police in a tweet.
“ATTENTION: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE #SayNoToRape #JusticeForRapeVictims #SayNoToIntimidation”, she tweeted.
ATTENTION : INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE #SayNoToRape #JusticeForRapeVictims #SayNoToIntimidation https://t.co/d4CfmDsntG
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) July 20, 2019
The Nigeria Police Force, however confirmed why it served official invitation letters to Timi Dakolo and his wife, Busola.
Mr Frank Mba, the Police Spokesman said in a statement issued on Saturday night that the invite was not a Warrant of Arrest but rather a polite investigative tool used in extracting information voluntarily from parties to aid investigation.
“Members of the public should see it 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 Force under his watch will remain professional, impartial and unreservedly committed to the pursuit of justice in this case and all other cases before it”, he said.