In a chilling and bizarre turn of events, a hotelier from Ogun State, Lanre Shotunde, was arrested and detained by the Nigerian police merely for being in the same WhatsApp group as an activist, Olamide Abiodun Thomas, who had allegedly made controversial remarks about high-ranking officials. Shotunde’s story sheds light on the dangerous reality of social media associations in Nigeria, where mere participation in a group chat can turn into a life-altering ordeal.
On Wednesday, Shotunde, who runs a hotel in Ogun State, found himself caught up in a chaotic arrest, which stemmed from his connection with Thomas, a Facebook friend, and fellow member of the “Ogun State People’s Parliament” WhatsApp group. The group is a community where various individuals, including prominent personalities from the state, share information. While Shotunde had never met Thomas in person and had no direct ties to her controversial statements, his name being tagged in the group became enough to bring the police to his doorstep.
According to Shotunde, the police had initially arrested his mother in a bid to lure him to the Lafenwa Police Station in Abeokuta. When he arrived, he was handcuffed immediately, without being asked any questions. The officers claimed they were taking him to Abuja but made an abrupt detour to Sango Ota Police Station. On the way, Shotunde was shown a video of Thomas, which featured her insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the president’s son, and the police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi.
“I had no involvement with that video,” Shotunde explained. “I don’t even know the lady personally. We are just members of the same WhatsApp group. I didn’t think any of this would lead to my arrest.” The police, however, seemed convinced that there was more to the story, particularly after a group member had jokingly tagged Shotunde in a comment, calling him Thomas’s “husband.”
Shotunde explained how, once at the police station, officers demanded that he produce Thomas, convinced that their connection in the group chat was proof of an intimate relationship between them. “They said the tag ‘Go and bail your wife’ meant I was close to her. That’s why I was being arrested,” Shotunde continued. “I kept telling them that I didn’t even have her contact information and that I had never met her. But they were insistent.”
Over the next 24 hours, Shotunde was subjected to further interrogation and confusion. He was transferred from one police station to another, including Obada Station, before finally being taken to Sango Ota Station. Throughout this ordeal, he was deprived of communication with the outside world, as his phone was almost dead and there were no charging facilities at the station. It wasn’t until late Thursday afternoon that a sympathetic officer allowed him to charge his phone, enabling him to notify others about his situation.
Shotunde also described how the police seemed to be following orders from Abuja, waiting for approval from the IGP’s office to proceed with further actions, including taking him to Abuja. “They said I had an issue with the IGP. I didn’t even know what they were talking about. If there was a matter between me and him, I should have been told. I just wanted to know what I was being arrested for.”
While the police tried to force Shotunde into providing more information, he continued to deny any connection to Thomas or the controversial video. At one point, a former minister and members of Shotunde’s association, the Hoteliers’ Association of Nigeria, tried to intervene on his behalf, but their efforts initially fell on deaf ears. “I heard from others that they tried to reach the force’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) to no avail,” Shotunde said. “It was clear the whole thing was about the video and the IGP’s personal interest.”
After hours of being detained, Shotunde was finally released around 7:56 pm on Thursday, following intense pressure from influential people within the hoteliers’ association and other well-placed individuals. Although he was free to go, Shotunde remained shaken by the entire experience. “I was just in a WhatsApp group. This shouldn’t have escalated into something this serious. The police treated my mother terribly just to get to me,” he lamented.
He also recounted the distress his family endured, especially his mother, who had been arrested and detained just to pressure him into complying with the police’s demands. “They didn’t even arrest my mother because of anything she did. They did it to force me to come forward, even though I had no connection with the suspect,” Shotunde added.
The incident has sparked outrage and concern about the overreach of the Nigerian police in their pursuit of individuals connected to social media posts, particularly in WhatsApp groups, which are often used for sharing everyday news and opinions. Many fear that this incident could be a dangerous precedent, where anyone connected to a controversial figure online could be dragged into a legal battle without proper evidence or justification.
Shotunde’s case highlights a disturbing trend in Nigeria, where online interactions, especially in group chats, are being scrutinized in unprecedented ways. Even joking comments made in a private group could lead to wrongful arrests, as seen in this case. The abuse of power, the lack of evidence, and the disregard for due process raise critical questions about the state of human rights and privacy in Nigeria’s current social climate.
Shotunde has vowed to seek legal redress for his unlawful detention. “This is not just about me,” he concluded. “It’s about everyone who uses social media. If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. We must stand up against this kind of injustice.”
Peoplesmind
