The family of Isaac Alagbariya has accused officers from the Rivers State Police Command of illegally arresting and torturing their son, following a forced entry into his hotel room at Osmosis Hotel on Ada George Road, Port Harcourt.
During a press briefing on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the family alleged that on August 5, 2024, officers in plain clothes forcibly entered Isaac’s hotel room and arrested him, subsequently transporting him to an undisclosed location. Isaac’s elder brother, Asime Alagbariya, condemned the arrest and demanded his brother’s immediate release, calling it unlawful.
Asime Alagbariya detailed the incident, stating, “On August 5, 2024, men of the Nigerian Police Force, dressed in civilian attire, arrived at Osmosis Hotel on Ada George Road and broke into the room of our son, Isaac Bristol Alagbariya. He was then taken away to an unknown location. We only became aware of the incident the next day because the hotel manager, suspected to be a police informant, did not inform us.”
The family also accused the police and the hotel manager of seizing Isaac’s personal belongings, including a diary containing sensitive information and cryptocurrency account details. Asime alleged that the police had accessed Isaac’s cryptocurrency account, which holds approximately $27,200 (about N43 million), and criticized a first-generation bank for allegedly releasing his brother’s bank details to the police without consent.
However, it was noted that banks typically do not release customer BVN details without appropriate legal procedures, as anti-fraud and anti-money laundering agencies have access to BVNs. It is also a criminal offense for financial institutions not to cooperate with security agencies when required.
In response to the allegations, Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, stated that the Rivers command was not involved in the operation. She clarified that the arrest was conducted by the Anti-Fraud Unit from Abuja and advised contacting the Force Public Relations Officer for further information.