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Trouble is brewing at a police division, Lagos Island
following claims by a mother of two that she was raped by
the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, while in detention at the
station.
The 31-year‑old Beninoise, identified as Idowu Akinwunmi,
works as a sales girl in a restaurant on Keffi Road, in Ikoyi
area of the state.
She was reportedly picked by some policemen from Onikan
division, following a complaint lodged by her boss, one Mrs
Pelumi Idowu, over an undisclosed reason, at about 1 am.
She said she was thrown into the cell on reaching the
station.
However, at about 10 pm, Akinwunmi said one Inspector
Ajiduwe called her out of the cell and took her to the DPO’s
office, where she alleged that the station’s boss forcefully
had carnal knowledge of her. According t o her, “He, the
DPO, made love to me without a condom, saying he would
throw me into prison if I mention the incident to anyone.”
Refund of N10,000 bail
Aside that, she also alleged that the Investigating Police
Officer, IPO, collected N10,000 from her for bail before she
was released. Akinwunmi told members of the Network on
Police Reform in Nigeria, NOPRIN, that she had been having
severe abdominal pain sincere the intercourse.
Although the DPO denied raping the detainee, when NOPRIN
inquired from him, he reportedly called the man who stood
surety for Akinwunmi to come for a refund of the N10,000
bribe for bail they extorted from her after allegedly raping
her.
NOPRIN condemns
The National Coordinator, NOPRIN, Mr Okechukwu
Nwanguma who condemned the rape, said: “NOPRIN
condemns the attempt by some police officers at Area A
Command, Lion Building to block the victim from lodging a
complaint of the rape with the Area Commander and
collecting a police report to go for medical examination.” At
the command level, Vanguard gathered that the state
command frowned at the allegation and had commenced
investigation to ascertain the DPO’s alleged culpability. If
found guilty, the DPO, said to have put in about 25 years in
service, would face disciplinary action. Already, the
Command’s boss, Umar Manko, had reportedly summoned
the parties involved to the command for interrogation as at
3 pm, yesterday. Spokesperson for the command, Ngozi
Braide, however, could not state whether the allegation was
true or false but told Vanguard that investigation at the end
of the day would prove that, adding: “It is an allegation and
we are taking it very serious.” How I was raped —
Akinwunmi Narrating her ordeal, Akinwunmi, told
Vanguard: “I was arrested because my madam told the
police that I allowed one Friday, a customer pass the night
in the restaurant. Two relatives of one of the tailors
employed by my madam who came on a visit were also
arrested. “I am from Cotonou in Benin Republic. I am a
mother of two and I have been working for Ms Pelumi for
about 10 months now. I have done nothing to deserve this
kind of treatment. Is it because I am a foreigner that I would
be abused without protection? Nigerians should give me
justice. I demand justice for this wrong that has been done
to me.
“While at the station, I pleaded with one of the police
women to allow me take my bath since I have not been
allowed to do so since I was arrested and she agreed. “On
my way to the bathroom, I met the DPO for the first time. He
asked if I was Idowu and I said yes. He then asked why I
chose to violate my boss’ rules and I told him it was a
mistake. “At about 10pm, one Inspector Ajiduwe took me
out of the cell to the DPO, apparently for debriefing on the
case. “Immediately the Inspector left the office, the DPO
started touching me. When I asked him to stop, he said my
boss said they should do anything they liked to me. “He
threatened to shoot me and send me and those arrested
with me to jail, if I refused to allow him make love to me
and that he would release all of us if I gave in. “He,
thereafter, took me into the inner room in his office. I began
to plead with him to use a condom but he refused and
forced himself on me . “When he finished, he told me to
wash myself in the bathroom which I did. After that, he sent
me back to the cell, with a promise that I would be released.
“But when my relatives came to effect our bail, they paid
N30,000 for five of us. As we were going, the DPO scribbled
his number on a piece of paper and gave to me.
“Immediately I left, my relatives took me to the Island
Maternity for the necessary medical tests.”
following claims by a mother of two that she was raped by
the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, while in detention at the
station.
The 31-year‑old Beninoise, identified as Idowu Akinwunmi,
works as a sales girl in a restaurant on Keffi Road, in Ikoyi
area of the state.
She was reportedly picked by some policemen from Onikan
division, following a complaint lodged by her boss, one Mrs
Pelumi Idowu, over an undisclosed reason, at about 1 am.
She said she was thrown into the cell on reaching the
station.
However, at about 10 pm, Akinwunmi said one Inspector
Ajiduwe called her out of the cell and took her to the DPO’s
office, where she alleged that the station’s boss forcefully
had carnal knowledge of her. According t o her, “He, the
DPO, made love to me without a condom, saying he would
throw me into prison if I mention the incident to anyone.”
Refund of N10,000 bail
Aside that, she also alleged that the Investigating Police
Officer, IPO, collected N10,000 from her for bail before she
was released. Akinwunmi told members of the Network on
Police Reform in Nigeria, NOPRIN, that she had been having
severe abdominal pain sincere the intercourse.
Although the DPO denied raping the detainee, when NOPRIN
inquired from him, he reportedly called the man who stood
surety for Akinwunmi to come for a refund of the N10,000
bribe for bail they extorted from her after allegedly raping
her.
NOPRIN condemns
The National Coordinator, NOPRIN, Mr Okechukwu
Nwanguma who condemned the rape, said: “NOPRIN
condemns the attempt by some police officers at Area A
Command, Lion Building to block the victim from lodging a
complaint of the rape with the Area Commander and
collecting a police report to go for medical examination.” At
the command level, Vanguard gathered that the state
command frowned at the allegation and had commenced
investigation to ascertain the DPO’s alleged culpability. If
found guilty, the DPO, said to have put in about 25 years in
service, would face disciplinary action. Already, the
Command’s boss, Umar Manko, had reportedly summoned
the parties involved to the command for interrogation as at
3 pm, yesterday. Spokesperson for the command, Ngozi
Braide, however, could not state whether the allegation was
true or false but told Vanguard that investigation at the end
of the day would prove that, adding: “It is an allegation and
we are taking it very serious.” How I was raped —
Akinwunmi Narrating her ordeal, Akinwunmi, told
Vanguard: “I was arrested because my madam told the
police that I allowed one Friday, a customer pass the night
in the restaurant. Two relatives of one of the tailors
employed by my madam who came on a visit were also
arrested. “I am from Cotonou in Benin Republic. I am a
mother of two and I have been working for Ms Pelumi for
about 10 months now. I have done nothing to deserve this
kind of treatment. Is it because I am a foreigner that I would
be abused without protection? Nigerians should give me
justice. I demand justice for this wrong that has been done
to me.
“While at the station, I pleaded with one of the police
women to allow me take my bath since I have not been
allowed to do so since I was arrested and she agreed. “On
my way to the bathroom, I met the DPO for the first time. He
asked if I was Idowu and I said yes. He then asked why I
chose to violate my boss’ rules and I told him it was a
mistake. “At about 10pm, one Inspector Ajiduwe took me
out of the cell to the DPO, apparently for debriefing on the
case. “Immediately the Inspector left the office, the DPO
started touching me. When I asked him to stop, he said my
boss said they should do anything they liked to me. “He
threatened to shoot me and send me and those arrested
with me to jail, if I refused to allow him make love to me
and that he would release all of us if I gave in. “He,
thereafter, took me into the inner room in his office. I began
to plead with him to use a condom but he refused and
forced himself on me . “When he finished, he told me to
wash myself in the bathroom which I did. After that, he sent
me back to the cell, with a promise that I would be released.
“But when my relatives came to effect our bail, they paid
N30,000 for five of us. As we were going, the DPO scribbled
his number on a piece of paper and gave to me.
“Immediately I left, my relatives took me to the Island
Maternity for the necessary medical tests.”
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