A lawyer has narrated yet again, the cruelty of the Nigerian police and their illegal raiding and detention. He shared how he was arrested alongside others as they were watching a match on Boxing Day.
He shared this on his Twitter account saying that their phones were taken and he was not even given a chance to show his identity as a lawyer.
The lawyer also revealed that more people were arrested including a 16-year-old boy and none was given the chance to call their people to know their whereabouts.
Today’s Experience with the @PoliceNG restates the fact the POLICE is not your FRIEND and WILL NEVER BE.
My only crime was watching a football match right outside my house. I was picked with about 5 others including a 16-year-old boy( juvenile) by armed officers who would not afford us the opportunity to talk or say our offence as they were cocking our guns threatening to shoot us.
I pointed to them the gate of my house which they didn’t listen and would not even allow me to take my ID card despite when one of us showed his. Rounded us up and took us to Ilaje Police station where we were placed behind counters. I tried explaining to the female officer that I am a lawyer and her response is “ why are you with them” after looking at me from head to toe. I wondered if she was expecting to see me dressed in legal apparel on a Boxing Day?!.
Despite our pleas and agitation on what our offence was, they turned deaf ears claiming it was “raiding” saying that we would see the DPO. Before we knew it, they brought in another set of people; some who were in tears claiming they were innocent which I believed it was another raid. Told them to squat while beating and kicking one of them while we were sitting down.
All of a sudden, they told the new set to enter Black Maria and afterwards us next, despite our pleas and shouting, we were bundled inside the van, our phones collected from us.
Luckily, I had messaged my elder brother who was at home when the whole ordeal happened before my phone was seized. We were about 10-15 inside the van with a small window; packed like sardines with unbearable heat. Different thoughts were just filled up in my head and I just remained silent cause I had no strength in me to shout.
To cut the long story short, my brother came through and the officers called my name out and allowed only me to come out of the van to see the DPO. I do not know who my folks called but what if I had no one to call for help. For all I know, the people arrested with me are still in the van which a 16-year-old is still there with his father, despite telling them he is underaged. We were arrested by 6:45 pm and I was released by 10:30 pm.
I don’t know what to think or say. I am angry and sad at the same time. The @PoliceNG clearly has no respect for human rights or the law. How can you randomly pick people, confiscate their phones, violate their dignity without offering them a chance to explain all in the name of raid!!
Including a 16-year-old for God’s sake! I can’t imagine the trauma he’s having cause I am still trying to get a grip of myself as this is a nightmare.
@NGRSenate @femigbaja instead of using the 37 billion nairas to renovate, how about a police reform act?! Many of them are uncultured and need immediate reorientation. How are they recruited?! Some of them can’t speak good English and find it hard to communicate with people?!.
To anyone who has had an ordeal with the police, I now know what that feels; but for the first time, I have never felt so helpless and who knows where I would be now. still in the van? In prison? or an unknown location without access to my family or lawyer(which I am one).
To those who haven’t, I pray you don’t experience such. you might not be lucky as I was.
I have never been so embarrassed, humiliated and treated less of a human as I was today. And of all letdowns by my country and state, this is the height of it all.
I could go on and on but to what end. On Monday, it was @ShinaPeller. Today, it was me. tomorrow, it could be you.
