‘It was an invitation’, Police speak on purported arrest of Timi and Busola Dakolo

Timi Dakolo had earlier cried out on Saturday that there were strange men with guns in his house.

Following Nigerian’s reactions to reports that some Policemen stormed Timi and Busola Dakolo's residence on Saturday, July 20, 2019, to force the couple to their headquarters in Abuja, the Nigerian Police Force has denied the claim that its men attempted to arrest the couple.

The police in a statement released on Sunday, July 21, 2019, said its officers didn’t go to the couple’s house to arrest them but to invite them over on-going police investigation involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo and others.

The statement reads: The Nigeria Police Force is confirming that its operatives today, 20th July, 2019 served official Invitation Letters on Bisola and Timi Dakolo.

The invitation is sequel to an on-going police investigation touching on the wider and highly publicized case involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo and others.

It is important however to note that a Police Invitation Letter is not synonymous with a Warrant of Arrest, and must not be construed to be one. Rather, it is a polite investigative tool used in eliciting information voluntarily from parties to aid police investigations.

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 NPM, mni 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.

Earlier, a copy of the invitation sent to Timi Dakolo signed by Kolo Yusuf, Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP Special Tactical Squad, Abuja and seen by Pulse states that the police is inviting him and his wife over an investigation about a case of criminal conspiracy, falsehood, mischief and threat to life in which his name was mentioned.

A copy of arrest warrant from Police to Timi Dakolo Pulse Nigeria

Meanwhile, few hours after it was reported that some policemen went to the Dakolos' house to arrest the couple, Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari called the attention of the Inspector General of Police to the report by Sahara Reporters on Twitter with the hashtags, #Saynotorape, #Saynotointimidation, #Justiceforrapevictims.

Recall that Busola recently alleged that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly raped her twice when she was a teenager.