TheCable

Officers of the Nigeria police force have reportedly arrested Moses Motoni, a tracking officer with BudgIT, Nigerian civic social enterprise.

Motoni was reportedly arrested in an operation coordinated by the police’ special anti-robbery squad (SARS) working in Metro police station, Enugu road, Kaduna.

BudgIT said Tuesday that Motoni was tracked to Jabi, Abuja and subsequently arrested by an IGP special squad.

In a series of tweets, the civil organisation said Motoni was arrested on the orders of Sani Mohammed, senator representing Niger south and Faruk Muhammadu, a house of rep member “for sensitising citizens on constituency projects in Bida, Niger state”.

BudgIT said Motoni’s phone has been seized and he’s currently being detained at SARS office, Old Abbatoir, Abuja.

Please @PoliceNG_PCRRU @PoliceNG, a Senator is allegedly using your officers to harass our @Trackang Project Tracking Officer who has been detained at Metro Police Station, Enugu Road, Kaduna. Please, NOTHING must happen to him. @GovKaduna @ProfOsinbajo @bukolasaraki

— BudgIT Nigeria (@BudgITng) December 5, 2017

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Our @TrackaNG project tracking officer Moses Motoni was arrested in Kaduna, and taken to Metro police station, Enugu road, Kaduna for doing his work in Niger state. #Tracka

— BudgIT Nigeria (@BudgITng) December 5, 2017

Information so far is that he was invited by a Senator yesterday for a meeting. Today, he received an SMS to pick up a parcel at DHL office and was arrested. We are unaware of the station he is right now. @nassnigeria @NGRSenate @bukolasaraki @HouseNGR @YakubDogara

— BudgIT Nigeria (@BudgITng) December 5, 2017

UPDATE: We learnt that this Operation to arrest our Project Tracking Officer, Moses Motoni is coordinated by SARS that work in Metro Police Station, Enugu Road, Kaduna. SARS Officers cannot be identified and are dressed in mufti. @PoliceNG_PCRRU @PoliceNG

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— BudgIT Nigeria (@BudgITng) December 5, 2017

The IG of @PoliceNG Special Squad, Jabi, Abuja is responsible for ARREST of our PROJECT TRACKING OFFICER, MOSES MOTONI, under the alleged orders of Senator Mohammed Sani & Hon Faruk Muhammadu of Niger State. #EndSARS #FreeMotoniMoses
@PoliceNG_PCRRU @AsoRock @bukolasaraki pic.twitter.com/a4Iyp3amze

— BudgIT Nigeria (@BudgITng) December 5, 2017

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Meanwhile, the police have denied knowledge of such arrest, saying there is no record of it.

Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, told TheCable that enquiries have been made at Abuja and Kaduna police commands — and “no such arrest was reported”.

He said: “The operation was not coordinated by SARS. Where did that happen? Where did they complain to? The police cannot just arrest anybody who did not commit any offense.

“I have called Kaduna (command) and they said there is nothing like that. I have also called FCT (command) and they said they are not aware of such arrest.

“This is mischievous and fake news being spread.”