A Nigerian woman has alleged that officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja are waging war against women in the nation’s capital city with indiscriminate arrest.
WuzupNaija reports that a few weeks ago allegations of sexual assaults were levelled against the police in Abuja following their arrest of ladies alleged to be sex workers.
Still battling with sexual assault allegations hanging around its neck, a lady identified as Eketi Ette took to Twitter on Saturday to share how police in Abuja are harassing women, especially those riding in a private taxi.
She noted that riding a taxi in Abuja is not safe for women as police officers constantly harras them and also arrest them indiscriminately over trumped-up charges.
Narrating her ordeal, Eketi said while she was returning from an event on Friday evening, her Taxify driver asked her to sit at the front of the car and pretend as his wife to avoid police harassment.
She added that on their way they were stopped at a police checkpoint where the officer asked if they were married, she said it would have been another case if their response was no.
Eketi wondered
She wrote:
“There’s a war on women in Abuja, by the Nigerian Police Force. Returning from a literary event by 9pm, the Taxify driver asked me to sit in front with him. “It’s better if they think we’re husband and wife.” At a checkpoint, a policeman pointedly asked him if we were married.
“Someone just shared a story of her 21-year-old daughter pulled out of a Taxify by policemen in Wuse. They dismissed her ride and detained her. Searched her wallet and “arrested” her for have old 20 and 50 naira notes. The mother had to call a DCP to get her released.
“If women aren’t even safe in what passes for private vehicles, what’s next? Hunting us down until we stop appearing in public? Breaking into our homes and dragging us out for not going anywhere? Because at this rate, nothing is too ridiculous for the Nigerian police to do.
“What happens to the hundreds of women without Segalink’s number? Those of us who know no DCP or ACP or IGP? It appears the lot of us women are just a flag down away from being arrested for prostitution and other trumped-up charges and in danger of rape.
“At this point, I am sorely tempted to return to my village and restart my poultry business. It was profitable, I could go about as I liked, I was at peace, and had no fears of being attacked by the very people empowered by law to protect me.“
Another Twitter user, Aremu Omotayo, who corroborated Eketi’s claim said he had a similar experience while driving a female passenger recently
He wrote,
I experienced similar situation about 2 days ago, from Gwarinpa going to bannex by the traffic light we were stopped and they searched the car and the ladies back thoroughly, the first question was is she your wife I said no bcos I have a ring but she wasn’t detained
— Aremu Omotayo (@tyeenigga) June 1, 2019
Another social emdia user also tweeted:
I was returning from church on Wednesday around Wuse 2. My private cab was asked to stop.
This girl that was even skeptical about the taxi was asked to come down. The officer searched my bag and was really flashing his torch looking for God knows what.It’s horrifying!!
— ChiOma Ginikanwa (@oma_mizflawless) June 1, 2019
See her tweet:
It’s all beginning to make sense now.
In 2017, on my way to the airport, I was asked to come down from the cab I took.
My bags were searched but they didn’t even talk to the cab driver.
I ranted on social media but no one listened and now it’s getting out of a hand.— Relationship Talk With Dee (@lovedoctor_dee) June 1, 2019
I once raised alarm over how the Nigerian police treats sexual assaults, rape and abuse on women. There isn’t any proactive legislation protecting women. The constitution failed to clearly protect women. The representatives in NASS even don’t value women. Tiring and painful
— SNPR (@SmartAtuadi) June 1, 2019
In 2019, women in Nigeria have to pretend to be married to go outside….
In Abuja FCT not Kandahar Afghanistan.
Why now? Why are women being targeted now?
— The Republican (@9grrepublican) June 1, 2019
