Mother accuses police of collecting N350,000 to cover up son’s death probe

The police in Lagos have been accused of covering up the probe of a teenager’s death.

His mother Fatima Wasiu is seeking justice for her late son Basit Wasiu.

Mrs Wasiu alleged that her 14-year-old son was strangled after her landlord threatened to forcefully evict her family from his house.

It was gathered that while the police were investigating the case, the landlord of No. 8 Adeniran Street, Isale Iju Ogundimu, Iju, Ishaga, Lagos State, was released after he allegedly paid the sum of N350,000 and no further action was taken on the case.

The mother of four who moved into the apartment in 2016 said she was denied justice because she did not have money and had no one to fight for her.

“While we were at the SCIID, we were asked to pay N20,000 for an affidavit. My husband was able to raise N15,000 and we promised to pay the balance. Some days later, while we were still trying to raise the balance, we were told that my landlord has been released on bail.

“I learnt that the sum of N350,000 was paid for his release and he has been walking freely ever since,” she said.

Lagos Police spokesperson Chike Oti said the landlord was released because there was nothing linking him to the death of the teenager, adding that the police had done all that was needed to be done on the case.

“Everything that is needed to be done as far as the police are concerned has been done. The police invited the family of the boy to seek their consent for an autopsy to be conducted to ascertain the cause of death, but they did not respond to the invitation,” Mr Oti said.