Lagos-based political activist and All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Mobolaji Gbajabiamila, has alleged unlawful detention at Ikoyi Prison, claiming his arrest is politically motivated. He attributes the alleged harassment to Sheriff Balogun, Chairman of the Surulere Local Government Area APC, and raises concerns over involvement by his cousin, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In letters addressed to top authorities, including the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, and President Tinubu, Mobolaji described sustained “emotional and physical battering” by Surulere APC party officials. He accused Sheriff Balogun of filing “false allegations of threats to his life” to justify actions that endanger him.
“I am unlawfully held in Ikoyi Prison because I wrote an open letter to the president about my cousin, the Chief of Staff, supporting falsehoods used to imprison me. My life is at risk, which is why I seek the President’s intervention,” Mobolaji wrote in a December 10, 2025 letter.
Claims of Court Irregularities and Family Intimidation
Mobolaji alleged that he was “tricked to Zone 2 and taken to court without a lawyer” and that his bail conditions require a family member to stand for him, despite intimidation allegedly linked to the Chief of Staff. “Everyone is afraid of the Chief of Staff. The withholding of evidence against me is a direct threat to my life,” he stated.
He petitioned the AIG to demand that Sheriff Balogun provide evidence supporting the allegations. He warned that failure to produce proof should result in prosecution and called for his security, retraction, and apology from both Balogun and police officials.
Mobolaji detailed prior harassment, including a previous 30-day remand in Kirikiri Prison despite a “No Case to Answer” advisory from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He emphasized that allegations of threats were unfounded and politically motivated.
Political and Family Context
Highlighting family connections, Mobolaji stressed that his late father, Alhaji Muritala Taiwo Gbajabiamila, was a friend of President Tinubu. He also underscored his cousin relationship with the President’s Chief of Staff, expressing disappointment at what he describes as systemic political marginalization.
He recounted repeated attempts by party officials to pressure him to drop complaints and claimed his cousin’s camp facilitated or condoned the harassment. “I am receiving persistent brutal emotional and physical battering from captains of the Surulere APC party structure, aided by my cousin, the Chief of Staff,” he wrote.
Mobolaji further alleged online falsehoods and coordinated attempts to intimidate him politically and socially, including misinformation that he was being sought by the police in his neighborhood.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
The case, listed as Charge No. L/03/2026, names Mobolaji Gbajabiamila and Kayode Odu as defendants. They face allegations of conspiring to commit misdemeanors, including threats to life and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, under Sections 411, 56, and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The arraignment occurred on January 28, 2026, at the Lagos Magisterial District.
Mobolaji maintains his innocence, insisting he “did not threaten anyone, was not involved in any assault, and is not a thug.” He has copied his petitions to the Inspector General of Police, Police Service Commission, Attorney General of the Federation, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, and APC national and state leadership.
Appeal to President Tinubu
In a personal appeal, Mobolaji implored President Tinubu to intervene, emphasizing his fear for his life. He described the AIG’s apparent reluctance to proceed with court actions to ensure his safety and requested presidential intervention to protect him from “repeated evil” allegedly supported by the Chief of Staff.
As of the latest reports, Mobolaji remains in detention at Ikoyi Prison, awaiting further court proceedings and official investigations into his allegations of political harassment and abuse of process.
