Lawyers under the aegis of the International Federation of Women Lawyers in Oyo State has offered free legal service to Towobola, a 25-year-old lady who was assaulted by some police operatives in Ibadan.
The brutality against Towobola was watched in a viral video that has since attracted public rage.
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of two policemen, Tijani Olatunji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, and Gboyega Oyeniyi, an Inspector of Police, for allegedly subjecting Towobola, the girlfriend of a suspected robber, to dehumanising treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said efforts were on to arrest another cop and a civilian in connection to the matter.
He stated, however, that the police team were on legitimate duty and had been on the trail of the suspect, who was traced from Lagos to his house in Ibadan.
The suspect and his girlfriend were arrested at his Ibadan home.
One of the policemen, who gave his name as Wyclef in the video, was seen interrogating Towobola and the suspect.
The lady pleaded with Wyclef saying she was unaware of the suspect’s atrocities. She claimed that she only paid him a visit on the day of the arrest.
However, Wyclef accused the lady of being wayward as she pleaded her innocence. He questioned her on why she left her former boyfriend “that you are having sex with to follow an armed robber? Why did you break up with the person that deflowered you?
“If he (suspected robber) doesn’t have money and car, will you have an affair with him? Are you saying he has not had sex with you since you met?”
Wyclef boasted that he catches suspects like fowls
Nigerians, who took to the social media on Thursday, described the cops’ questions and treatment of the lad as discriminatory and unprofessional.
Mba said the two arrested policemen had been detained at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, Lagos State.
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has identified three police officers and one civilian accomplice who participated in the unprofessional act.
“Two suspects, ASP Tijani Olatunji and Inspector Gboyega Oyeniyi, have been arrested for their role in the discreditable conduct and incivility to a member of the public. They are currently being detained at the Lagos State CID detention facility, Yaba.
“Preliminary investigations show that the policemen, who are attached to Area ‘A’ Command, Lion Building, Lagos, were on legitimate investigation activities in Ibadan, Oyo State, where the incident took place. Effort is being intensified to arrest two other accomplices.”
According to him, appropriate disciplinary procedure would be taken as soon as investigations were concluded.
The women lawyers, while addressing journalists at a press conference held at the Nigerian Bar Association secretariat, NTC Road, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Thursday, insisted that the policemen who were involved in the act should be arrested and made to tender an apology in a video.
The state chairman of FIDA, Mrs Deborah Collins, said her interaction with Towobola after the viral video indicated that she had been traumatised by the police.
She said, “We are using this medium to assure her (Towobola) that FIDA Oyo is ready to render legal service to her pro bono. We are assuring her that we would give her legal defence to get justice for her. We know that the video has done a lot of damage to the lady in question.
“We talked to her this morning (Thursday). From the way she was talking, we could sense apprehension. We could feel the fear that she nurses even by that act that was meted to her.
“We are giving her solidarity, speaking with one voice and condemning the act in totality. The Nigeria Police should know that the life of any human being is important.
“We condemn the act in totality and we hope that the top echelon of the Nigeria Police will rise up quickly to this matter. We want the police to investigate the matter through the viral video and see how they can bring it down.
“We also insist that there should be public apology from the police. The apology should go viral just like the assault video that went viral.”
