EDITOR’S PICK:
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Blessing Mba, a 27-year-old mother of two, was allegedly brutalized by certain police officers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at the direction of Ige Adekunle, Divisional Police Officer of the Adeeke Police Station, Iwo, Osun State.
According to her account, the incident took place when she went in search of her 15-year-old son Friday, who had not come home and was discovered to have been arrested by the police.
She claims that because her home is close to the station, the police officers there are familiar with her. She explained that Friday hadn’t been home since he left on Monday, May 30, at 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
“I didn’t bother answering the call I got from one of the officers at the station. When I concluded maybe they have my son in detention, I quickly went to the station.
“Before the call came in, I had been hearing the torture infiltrating and wailing of some of the people arrested in the police station in the middle of the night on that same day,” the mother of two said.
Blessing was at the station when a police officer identified as Àpápá assaulted her and accused her of carrying ‘sacrifice’ to the station.
“A police officer at the entrance identified me and opened the gate for me when I told him about my son. He told me to check him at the counter. Another officer known as Àpápá started harassing me. He pushed me to the DPO and alleged that I came to drop sacrifice at the station.
“We will kill you, shoot you and nobody will ask of you,” Blessing said the officers threatened her while she was pleading for her life until she fainted.
“They poured water on me and I woke.”
She added that she was taken to the hospital around 8 am for treatment. She also said her leg and some parts of her body were stitched.
Blessing said that the DPO, Adekunle, gave her N2,000 while she was leaving the hospital and another N2,000 in the evening when she was checked in her house.
ATTEMPT TO COVER UP
Blessing reported Adekunle to the Police Area Command in Iwo on June 2nd. She claimed that while she was waiting for the commander, a few officers informed Adekunle of her arrival, and he allegedly gave the order for the officers to remove her before she could speak with the commander.
The police begged Blessing not to report because it may harm the DPO’s career, according to Blessing. They carried me to the DPO at the Adeeke police station while they were bowed down.
According to Blessing, the DPO then offered her N15,000 and brought her back to the hospital to rehabilitate her leg.
FURTHER READING
BRUTALITY IN IWO, OSUN POLICE COMMAND
Brutality continues to rule at the Osun Police command despite reports condemning the attack on Nigerians by security personnel.
Recall that Tola Azeez was brutalized by the two cops in Odo Ori Market in Iwo, Osun State, during the COVID-19 shutdown as she attempted to purchase medications for her family members at a pharmacy.
Assaulting the woman was caught on camera by the officers. Since then, reports of violence by security personnel and numerous extrajudicial murders in Osun State have surfaced.
Section 37(1) of the Nigerian Police (Establishment) Act 2020 approved the humane treatment of arrested suspects.
The act stated that “(1) A suspect shall: (a) be accorded humane treatment, having regard to his right to the dignity of his person; and (b) not be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
POLICE REACTION
When contacted, SP Yemisi Opalola, a spokeswoman for the Osun State Police Command, claimed the command was unaware of the occurrence.
She stated that the command would look into the situation.
Click to watch our video of the week
The Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare, has…
The People's Redemption Party, PRP, has extended its condolences to the families and communities of…
Osun State Police Police Command has arrested one Taiwo Yemitan, a suspected ritualist found with…