A 37-year-old woman, Risikat Bamidele, has lost her nine-week-old
pregnancy after police officers tortured her in Abeokuta, the Ogun State
Capital.
The victim, who is currently receiving treatment at the State Hospital,
Ijaiye, was said to have been battered because she made a call inside the
Kemta Police station, angering the divisional police officer.
The woman had been at the police station on Saturday to secure the
release of her detained husband. She was making calls to some members of
the family.
This infuriated the police boss who ordered the seizure of the phone.
When the woman refused to release the phone, the police boss allegedly
ordered his men to deal with her. As they dealt her blows, she started
bleeding.
Three days later, at her place of work in the Catholic Comprehensive High
School, Onikolobo, Abeokuta, she suddenly collapsed following another
round of bleeding and had to be rushed to hospital.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday on her hospital bed she alleged that
the policemen slapped her several times before she was pushed behind the
counter.
”When I got to the police station, my husband gave me his phone that I
should call his brother. While I was calling his brother, I saw one
policeman, I did not know he was the DPO. He told me that I was stupid
for making calls in the police environment around after eight o’clock’.
”He later called a policeman to arrest me.
I was harassed, pushed and brutalised.
My husband saw what they were doing to me and he was telling
them, that I was pregnant and was begging them not to touch me’.
”But, the DPO turned deaf ears, he was shouting that they will take me to
Eleweran (police headquarters) the following day.
I asked him what my
offence was because I did not know what I had done wrong.
”I was begging them to release me because my husband is in their custody
and there is nobody at home to take care of my children.
They collected
my phone, I could not call anybody, it was my neighbour that took care of
my children.
”In the mid night, I was having stomach pain, I called the police man at
the counter that I was having pains in my stomach but he said there is
nothing he can do.
”After some hours, I discovered I was bleeding, I tried explaining things
to the policeman on duty but he did not listen.
My husband later gave me money to get sanitary pad.
The next morning, I was released by the policeman. They told me that he
did not have right to detain me but because I did not give the DPO the
phone that was why I was detained’.
”They said, I have learnt a lesson that when an elderly man is talking to
me, I should answer immediately.
”I was planning to go to the hospital the following day so that I can get
drugs but I went to my office to sign before going to the hospital.
It was there that I collapsed in the office and was rushed to the
hospital.
The doctor confirmed that I have lost my nine weeks pregnancy.”
When contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa
Adejobi, said the police command was not aware but added that the police
commissioner would be interested in the matter if the command is notified
by the affected family.
”We are not aware of the matter.
No one has informed us about the incident, except you journalists. If it
is true, the commissioner of police will be interested in the matter. We
will check on the affected woman if the command is informed.
”The family should inform the police about the issue and we will take it
up from there,” Mr. Adejobi said.
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