- Lawyers, human rights activists reveal implications for NPF image
- Say police losing Nigerians’ trust, crime victims dreading stations
- We’re committed to tackling corruption in Police Force – Egbetokun
Nigerians have expressed disgust following worsening incidents of rape and other forms of sexual assault allegedly committed by the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force.
Citizens including legal practitioners, human rights activists and other stakeholders said increasing cases of sexual assault and violence against law enforcement agents have deepened resentment against police.
They said apparent turning of police stations to rape and other sexual abuse dens has been forcing Nigerians who suffer attacks from criminals to adopt alternative reporting mechanism.
Of recent, some officers of the police were dismissed while others were de-ranked for raping female suspects and complainants at their various police stations.
On June 29, 2024, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Owolabi Akinlolu attached to Ogudu Police Station, in Ojota, Lagos State, allegedly raped a secondary school female student who had come to report her missing phone at the station.
ASP Akinlolu reportedly summoned the girl, aged 17, to the station, claiming they had apprehended the suspect who had stolen her phone two weeks prior.
But the teenager (name withheld) explained that when she showed up at the police station, the senior officer reportedly invited her into his office, locked the door, and raped her.
About five months after the incident, the mother of the victim, Mrs. Aramide Olupona has accused the Lagos Police Command of shielding the 56-year-old Akinlolu who is said to be retiring from the force in December.
While the police is yet to act on Akinlolu’s alleged rape of the student, another police officer, identified as Sergeant Abraham Uzuobo was caught red handed defiling a young female suspect at police station in the South Ibie area of Edo State.
“People will have fear and there will be mistrust in the police that is still battling to be accepted by members of the public. These incidents are damaging the reputation of the police, not only in Nigeria but internationally. The Nigeria Police really need to do something to curb this menace.”
Uzuobo was exposed after his female colleague, Inspector Edith Uduma, used her phone to record him while allegedly raping the 17-year-old girl at the station on October 7, 2024.
In the video, Uzuobo was seen hurriedly wearing his trousers and questioning why Edith was making a video recording. The victim was seen lying on a chair in the room in the course of this.
The Force Public Relations Officer of the Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, had explained that Uzuobo had removed the girl from the cell and took her to an unoccupied office, where he engaged her in sexual acts.
“During the act, Uduma walked in and recorded the act. However, instead of immediately making a documented entry on the matter in the Incident Record of the Station which was under her charge, and thereafter reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for disciplinary actions to be initiated against the erring officer, she took advantage of the situation to enrich herself by calling her husband, Ibrahim Mohammed, who was also a Police Inspector, both of whom conspired to unlawfully demand the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) from the Sergeant to assist him in concealing the matter.
“However, the Sergeant offered only N45, 000 in cash which they collected at that instance and after a few days, contacted the Sergeant to request the same sum of N1, 000,000, but the Sergeant refused to comply. Dissatisfied by his refusal to follow through with the blackmail, they decided to report the erring officer to the DPO and also simultaneously share the video on social media.
“Everyone culpable in this case has been sanctioned appropriately as there is no intention to impede justice. The erring Sergeant has been dismissed and prosecuted and is currently in prison custody as the trial progresses. Inspector Edith Uduma was also dismissed for her role, while her complicit husband has been reduced to the rank of Sergeant,” Adejobi had said.
Reacting, some lawyers and other stakeholders, in their separate interviews with The Point, said the trend has grievous implications on the image of the police, saying more Nigerians have lost trust and confidence in the force.
A lawyer, Eghrefuvwoma O. Grace, said, “The implication of this sad development to the Nigeria Police is that it will bring about loss of confidence and trust of police operatives by members of the public. The implication is that a woman who goes to report a case or a person that is arrested for a crime is not safe in the custody of the police. A woman is no longer safe in the custody of law enforcement agencies. I think this incident of a 17 year old female suspect is not the first time it is happening.
“Months ago, there was a similar incident where a lady who reported a case was lured out to a police station by a police officer and was raped. This development is really becoming prevalent. These are cases that affect members of the public and that is why police are not trusted by Nigerians. This is showing that police that are meant to be friends of the people are not their friends. People will have fear and there will be mistrust in the police that is still battling to be accepted by members of the public. These incidents are damaging the reputation of the police, not only in Nigeria but internationally.
The Nigeria Police really need to do something to curb this menace.”
While warning the police against sweeping these cases under the carpet, Grace tasked the police echelon to ensure that the culprits and accomplices are prosecuted.
Speaking in the same light, another human rights lawyer, Nkem Chukwu, lamented that police officers now take advantage of the vulnerability of the Nigerian citizens whom they are paid to protect.
The legal practitioner noted that recent alleged rape cases exposed the deep seated corruption in the police force, adding that police officers turning around to sexually molest and abuse suspects and complainants, would deepen the resentment against the brutality of the force and also make people to fear police officers.
“The second implication is that the acts expose and play out how in fame and corrupt the Nigerian Police is. A fellow woman who saw the act instead of fighting to give the victim justice was interested in getting money from the perpetrator to kill the matter. Her life partner, who was meant to be sympathetic, joined in their attempt to make money from the crime. All the three actors are police officers. It shows that corruption in the police is deep rooted and the officers have sold their consciences,” Chukwu submitted.
Declaring that fundamental human right is a basic right to everyone whether free or in custody, the lawyer stressed that, “The overall implication of this sexual menace on the society is that this kind of act in the manner it was played shows a symptom of weak institution and system. It is possible that a police man will be assigned to care for female inmates in police custody which they usually blame inadequate staff or that male inmates stay together with female inmates in some police formations. They blame lack of facilities and structures.”
A human rights activist, Citizen Lola Wey disclosed that members of the public now dread police officers and their stations, adding that many victims of crimes no longer visit police posts to report.
While calling on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to work towards the protection of affected police officers, Wey suggested that promotions in the police force should not be based on length of years of service but by merits and opinions of relevant stakeholders who have dealings with the police.
She recalled how the father of a 17 year old girl who was raped in Apomu, Osun State, went to report the incident at a radio station instead of visiting police station because of loss of confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
According to her, “All Nigeria Police Commands should be able to win the confidence of members of the public by their attitude. How do you react to people when they come to complain, is your reaction based on only what you can get directly and immediately from the complainant or is your reaction based on the service that you want to render to members of the public that will help launder the image of the Nigeria Police?”
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has condemned the abuse of vulnerable victims in police stations, promising that the course of justice would not be perverted.
A statement by the FPRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, quoted Egbetokun as committing to tackling corruption in the force.
“The Force remains resolute in its mission to uphold the law and protect the rights of all individuals,” he said.
