The police in Lagos say it will resume its investigation into sexual assault and murder allegations against Chris Okafor, but only after a separate higher-level probe is concluded by the office of the inspector general of police (IGP).
The case originated earlier this month following public outcry over accusations circulating on social media against Okafor, the founder of Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministries.
An anonymous individual, claiming to be in hiding in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, alleged they were hired by Okafor to carry out murders.
In response to the public furor, Olohundare Jimoh, the state police commissioner, directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti to commence an investigation.
Jimoh added that a petition on the same matter had also been lodged at the office of the assistant inspector-general of police and was subsequently transferred to the zone 2 command in Abuja for a parallel investigation.
He confirmed that police had also directed immediate security protection for the alleged victims.
A day after an arrest warrant was issued, Okafor surrendered to the police.
However, in an update on Thursday, Abimbola Adebisi the Lagos police spokesperson, revealed that the command’s probe has been temporarily halted because “all the complainants we have been calling on have refused to show up”.
She also clarified that the Lagos command cannot run a simultaneous investigation with the zone 2 command, which is now handling the case under the purview of the IGP’s office.
Adebisi disclosed that Okafor was released on “personal recognition” to allow the ongoing investigation at the IGP-monitored level to proceed unimpeded.
“There has not been further investigation from the command. I do not know if you are aware that he was invited. They came around, and that was when we discovered that he had similar petitions which they are still under investigation,” she said.
“So, the CP directed that we should halt. When it is done with them in Zone 2, we will reopen ours.
“And all the complainants we have been calling on have refused to show up. For now, we are not pressing further. We are not pushing the complainants further.
“We just wait. And when zone 2 is done, then we will wait for the outcome. And we will know the next line of action.
“He was released on self-recognition to proceed to zone 2 for further investigation there.”
The recent anonymous allegations are connected to earlier accusations made by actress Doris Ogala, who had claimed Okafor was complicit in the poisoning and death of her brother.
