Ronke Kehinde/
Since December 2017, a Sagamu-based timber merchant has been detained in Taraba State on the orders of his business partner who is a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
When the going was good no one heard about the lucrative timber trade that the merchant, Niyi Olanrewaju, and his business partner were running.
NewsmakersNG learnt that business was so good that the officer made N23million gain in two transactions; then the third transaction ran into stormy weathers during the rainy season when he made his lowest investment of N5.75million.
The supply turned out to be of poor quality and money was lost, but the officer would not take the bad with the good.
“He prefers my husband to die in prison rather than lose his money,” Bola told NewsmakersNG.
Olanrewaju was at different times detained in Taraba and Gombe states. It took several days and lots of efforts before NewsmakersNG could reach him in the gulag, where he is allegedly kept by the officer.
The policemen in Taraba gave Olanrewaju about five minutes to speak with NewsmakersNG on a cellphone.
Olanrewaju told NewsmakersNG that he was sourcing the timber from Taraba.
His business relationship with the DCP (name withheld) began, when they met in November 2016, in Taraba.
According to Olanrewaju, the DCP had issues with his former business partner at that time.
“He was dealing in timber, also known as Madrid. He commissioned me in November 2016, to sell the wood for him,” Olanrewaju said.
He added, “The first transaction was N9 million, which went well. He got N13 million in return. The second was N7 million, and he got N10 million in return.
“But the problem started during the third transaction. He gave me N5.75 million. It was during the rainy season. The wood I got was not of the same quality as the previous ones. What they were offering for it was at a loss. It wasn’t profitable so he demanded his money.
“I had to return the wood to the forest where I bought them but I was told I had to wait before I could get back the money. I was still waiting when the DCP ordered that I should be arrested.”
Olanrewaju was first arrested on December 16, in Taraba State by SARS officers and he was released on December 31, 2017, when they allegedly realized it was not a criminal case.
Then, the officer brought in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The police abruptly stopped the conversation before Olanrewaju could go further. But his wife later completed the story.
She said that her husband was re-arrested on April 3, 2018, by EFCC operatives.
“He was taken to Gombe State by the EFCC officials. They asked him to bring N2million to gain his freedom. His lawyer whose husband works with EFCC told him not to pay any money. When they saw that he was not cooperating, they transferred him back to Taraba State,” Bola said.
According to Bola, all efforts by Olanrewaju’s lawyer to get him out on bail since April 3 were frustrated.
“Please release my husband, he’s not a criminal,” she cried, pleading that the IGP should look into the matter and ensure that justice is done.
When NewsmakersNG intervened, the parties agreed to resolve the matter amicably.
The DCP said that it was a criminal case handled by the EFCC and the matter had been charged to court in Jalingo.
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