Man arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’

A man in Ogun State has put himself in trouble for naming his pet dog ‘Buhari.’nThe trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, 30, of No 10, Omikunle Street, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, was reportedly arrested last weekend, after one of his neighbours of Northern extraction, complained bitterly that he named his dog after his father, Alhaji Buhari. The complainant reported the case at Sango Police Station, last Saturday, after which the trader was arrested and detained, Vanguard reports. Efforts by the police to

recover the dog, which they intended using as evidence failed as the suspect allegedly asked his friends secretly to kill the dog and possibly eat the meat in order to avoid being implicated.

However, appeals by his friends and relations for the police to grant him bail failed as the complainant and his kinsmen reportedly threatened to kill the trader if he was released on bail.

However, relatives of the suspect who went to Sango police station to further plead for his bail were informed that the case file and the suspect had been transferred to Ogun State Police Command headquarters, at Eleweran.

A relation to the suspect, Chiedozie, told Vanguard that his brother was being treated unfairly.

Chiedozie said: “Chinakwe is a lover of dogs and he names them after things that tickle him. He bought this dog a year ago and named it Buhari.

“Unfortunately, some Northerners, who dominate the vicinity where he resides misconstrued his intention and connived to take him up. The complainant then claimed it was derogatory because his father answers Buhari.”

Acting Police spokesman in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, ASP, has confirmed the incident.

His words: “The man bought a dog and inscribed Buhari on both sides of its body. One Mallam lodged a complaint and when our men got there, we found out that it was true.

“You know such thing can cause serious breach of the peace and ethnic or religious unrest. We are charging him to court for conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

“He was arrested last Saturday and we are taking him to court later today (Tuesday) or tomorrow morning (today). You know an average Northerner will feel bad over such a thing. It can cause serious ethnic crisis or religious confrontation because when you are relegating such a name to a certain person, you are indirectly insulting him.”

On the whereabouts of the dog, the police spokesman said: “The dog cannot follow anybody except the owner. We will use him as our evidence because he did not deny it.”