Chief Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje of Yaba Magistrate’s Court has adjourned the case between the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and 42-year-old Point of Sale (PoS) operator, Kafayat Morayo Salami. The court had on May 4, 2026 remanded Salami in Kirikiri Correctional Facility over an alleged fraudulent transaction. She spent 16 days in the facility before her bail was perfected.
Arrest and Detention Details
A police sergeant attached to the Ago-Okota Police Division, Ruth Umar, had arrested and detained Salami on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, after which she was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, where she was released on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, after eight days.
Allegations by the Defendant
According to Salami, on Monday, April 13, 2026, the officer’s 15-year-old daughter, Peace Godwin, approached her for a N1 million transaction, allegedly on her mother’s instruction. She said the teenager requested that N645,000 be transferred to a First Bank account and collected N100,000 in cash, leaving a balance of N234,000. She added that the next day, April 14, 2026, two police officers accosted her and asked her to follow them to the station. She noted that Godwin had previously carried out several transactions on behalf of her mother.
Assault Allegations
Salami further alleged that she was assaulted at the Ago-Okota Police Station by police officers, who she said slapped her, removed her hijab and assaulted her further. According to her, the DPO arrived during the assault on her and directed that her hijab be returned, and that she be taken for questioning. “They accused me of fraud and denied me access to my family, including my husband. When Sergeant Ruth came to Panti with her daughter, she prevented the girl from mentioning the account details used for the transfer,” she further alleged.
Media Attention and Court Proceedings
Following The Guardian inquiry, it was gathered that the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Babalola Femi, was displeased that the matter had attracted media attention and insisted that Salami be charged to court. He asked her to be at Panti on May 4, 2026 for further investigation but she was dragged to court the same day. At the resumption of the case, the defence counsel, Abdullahi Haroon, after announcing his appearance, prayed the court for more time for further investigations. Consequently, the magistrate adjourned the case till August 12, 2026 for hearing.
