Jennifer Madueke, the 29-year-old woman arrested over the missing pistol of a Lagos Divisional Police Officer, CSP Adegoke Atilade, has been released.
The police also removed Atilade as the DPO of the Denton Police Station, Ebute Meta.
PUNCH Metro had exclusively reported that the police officer and Madueke were in a romantic relationship before Atilade was transferred out of Lagos seven years ago.
The former love birds met recently and exchanged phone numbers.
On Friday, August 27, the officer allegedly invited the woman to his office, where they allegedly made love.
A week later, Atilade arrested her and accused her of stealing his service pistol.
The officer, who denied sleeping with her, said he only assisted her to pass the night at the police station after she claimed to have been stranded.
He insisted that she took his pistol.
The suspect was detained at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, where she was held for three days.
A source close to Madueke said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCIID, DCP Adegoke Fayoade, contacted Madueke’s relative to come for her bail after receiving a call from our correspondent on the matter.
The source said, “After the DCP discovered that the press had been involved, he called the girl’s family member to come for her bail. That was how she was released on Thursday when you called him.”
Another source said the DCP attempted to cover up for Atilade due to their ties, adding that they hailed from the same Ila area in Osun State.
“They also bear the same surname. He was trying to cover for him when PUNCH blew up the case,” the source added.
But an officer denied the culpability of the SCIID boss, saying he was a professional who would not allow parochial sentiments to stop him from doing his job.
“The DCP is a fantastic and highly credible officer. He will never demand money or returns from his men. Petitions or complaints don’t last more than two days on his table. In fact, he has reformed Panti.
“But this case, I believe he could not do anything because he knows only the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission can take action against the DPO,” the officer added.
Fayoade also denied covering up for the senior cop, saying they did not share surname or hail from the same community.
He said, “We only share the same first name; I don’t condone indiscipline.”
A relative of Madueke confirmed to our correspondent that she had been released, but said had been asked to report at the Denton Police Station.
The family member said he could not tell the reason for the fresh invitation.
Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Adebutu, in a statement, said Atilade had been removed and redeployed.
The statement said, “This is to inform the general public that the Lagos State Police Command is not oblivious of the reported case of theft of service pistol against one Jenifer Madueke and the allegation of sex in the office against the DPO, Denton Police Division, CSP Adegoke Atilade, as published on pages 4 and 5 of today’s edition of The PUNCH.
“In the interest of fairness and justice, the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an independent, thorough and unbiased investigation into the case.
“Members of the public are hereby assured that appropriate actions will be taken against anyone found culpable at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation such that at the end, justice would have been served.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has directed the immediate redeployment of the officer in the eye of the storm so as to pave way for diligent and unbiased investigation.”
A resident in the Ebute Meta area confirmed that a new DPO, Segun Abifarin, replaced Atilade.
▪︎ By The PUNCH
