Police Grill Anti-graft Activist, Suraju

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Chairman of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, was on Wednesday arrested, detained and later released on bail after interrogation by police.

THISDAY learnt that the anti-corruption crusader was picked up in Abuja and detained by the IG Monitoring Unit, Asokoro, over a forgery allegation sent to the Inspector-General of Police by a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

The former AGF had sent the petition to the IG’s office demanding the investigation of an email evidence presented against him by prosecutors in Malabu trial in Milan, Italy.

In his petition dated February 5, 2021, Adoke claimed that an email presented at the Italian court and purported to have originated from him, was forged and presented in court to interfere with the course of justice.

Adoke reportedly told the police in his petition that those behind the alleged forgery were unknown to him, but urged the IG’s office to expose them.

THISDAY gathered that Suraju who was arrested on Wednesday, spent the night in detention, but was released yesterday after meeting his bail conditions.

He was however, asked to report next week.

The former chief law officer of the federation told the police that he suspected that some people, including Suraju, circulated a fake tape recording, alleging that it was an interview he (Adoke) had with an Italian journalist where he posited that the Malabu transaction was a ruse.

Suraju reportedly said the matter was a case of corruption fighting back.

“This is a case of corruption fighting back with Mr. Adoke using the police to harass, not just the civil society, but at the same time using illegal means to accuse myself and my organisation of forging a document that was admitted in court as evidence in Milan, of which we had no previous connection and business with,” he alleged.