The Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, said it had rearrested Mr. Joe Chinakwe, who named his pet dog Buhari, noting that the suspect would be arraigned in court on Monday. It also stated that Chinakwe, who was earlier released a few days ago, was picked up again based on its belief that the suspect’s action was capable of provoking an ethnoreligious crisis.

Saturday Vanguard had exclusively reported the three-day detention and subsequent release of the 30-year old after the intervention of the Serkin Hausa and President-General of non-indigenes in the state. He was taken into custody after one of his neighbours, who was later found out to be a Nigerien complained that the dog was named after his father, Alhaji Buhari.

It was learned that the prompt intervention of the elders made the complainant to withdraw the case at Sango-Ota Division.

Police sources had earlier told Vanguard that upon his release, the father of two, who hails from Ukwunzu in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, and the complainant were made to sign an undertaking not to cause any breach of peace. In the light of this, the suspect’s arrest yesterday opened another page on the matter that had aroused public interest.

However, the state’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, told newsmen that Chinakwe was rearrested yesterday to prevent the state from being plunged into crisis, adding that the complainant and his sympathisers had threatened to kill the suspect. He further stated that the suspect was being held at the Criminal Investigation Department of the command, noting that the arrest was done to save Chinakwe’s life. In addition, the Police mouthpiece said the suspect, had confessed that he named his pet dog Buhari and had the name written on the body of the dog.

His words: “The man is here with us. He is at the Criminal Investigation Department. The charge will be prepared here and he will be arraigned at Sango Magistrate Court on Monday.

“He is going to court on Monday because what he did was highly provocative. It can cause an ethnic and religious crisis. We have to be proactive; we cannot fold our arms and allow the state to be plunged into crisis.

“In fact, the arrest was made to save the suspect’s life because the complainant and his group have threatened to kill him if he comes back and this may trigger violence.”

Further investigation showed that the Police had not recovered the dog which may likely serve as evidence. Chinakwe was arrested last Saturday after one of his neighbours complained that he named the dog after his father, Alhaji Buhari. (Saturday Vanguard)

•Photo shows Joe Chinakwe, who landed himself in trouble for naming his dog Buhari.

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