Citing a recent case involving Engineer Muyiwa Saanumi, Akinlade highlighted how legal and law enforcement processes are being misused to oppress individuals in the country.
Saanumi, who has been detained for over two weeks at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, was arrested on January 16, 2025, following a petition by Mrs Olubusola Akinbiyi, Deputy General Manager at the Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSDPC).
The petition followed a N100 million loan transaction between the parties, a purely civil matter.
According to Akinlade, Saanumi’s detention violates legal provisions that prohibit holding a suspect without bail or arraignment within a reasonable time.
He said efforts by Saanumi’s counsel, E. Ayo, to secure his release have been unsuccessful, with allegations that the complainant and her lawyer are demanding a significant repayment before agreeing to bail.
“This raises serious concerns about the abuse of legal processes and the misuse of law enforcement to resolve private financial disputes,” Akinlade said.
He described the situation as a blatant violation of professional ethics and a troubling indication of how lawyers can facilitate police misconduct.
Akinlade, therefore, called on the NBA and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to investigate the matter, stressing that such actions undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in the justice system.
He urged the NBA to take decisive steps to curb these practices and ensure that lawyers uphold their ethical responsibilities in protecting citizens’ rights.
