By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Anti-Cult Alliance Movement (ACAM) has announced the release of Babayemi Opeyemi after days of detention, describing it as a victory for justice while insisting that broader demands against alleged police abuse must still be met.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Akin Okunowo, the group said Opeyemi regained his freedom on April 17, 2026, following what it termed “unlawful detention on fabricated and illogical charges” by officers attached to the FUNAAB/Harmony Police Division in Abeokuta.

ACAM attributed the development to the intervention of the Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, who it said acted promptly to review the matter.

Highlighting the role of the Attorney-General, the group quoted him as saying his office would “take over the prosecution of the matter… and if grounds exist to do so, withdraw it.”

“Today, Babayemi Opeyemi is home with his family because an Attorney-General chose to stand with the law and not with lies. This is how justice should work,” ACAM stated.

The group further described the detention as “a travesty of justice,” adding that the intervention by relevant authorities helped to prevent “an innocent civilian from spending one more day in detention for an offence he did not commit.”

ACAM also credited sustained pressure from civil society and the media for amplifying the case.

“This battle was not won by ACAM alone… activists, lawyers, students, market women, and ordinary Nigerians refused to keep quiet while an innocent man was caged,” the statement said.

It added: “When the police turned petition into a crime, the media turned their platforms into resistance,” while specifically acknowledging media organisations for giving visibility to the issue.

The group equally commended the cooperation of the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, and the Chief Registrar of the High Court, noting that “when institutions work, the people win.”

However, ACAM stressed that Opeyemi’s release represents only one of its demands, vowing to continue its campaign against alleged police misconduct.

“Let it be clear: Babayemi Opeyemi’s release is just one out of our five demands. The war against police oppression is not over,” it stated.

Among its demands are the refund of N70,000 allegedly extorted from the victim, a comprehensive reinvestigation into officers involved in the case, criminal prosecution of any officer found culpable, and legal action against an individual accused of making false allegations.

“Until extortion is refunded, until the guilty wear handcuffs, until ‘confession under duress’ ends in this country — we are not done,” the group declared.

ACAM maintained that the case underscores broader concerns about accountability within law enforcement, insisting that no Nigerian should be subjected to detention based on fabricated charges.

Update news