NOTICE AND ANNOUNCEMENT: UPDATE ON RECENT POLICE BRUTALITY AND RAPE OF A FEMALE DETAINEE IN LAGOS. DPA believes it has sufficient information to file lawsuit in connection with two recent instances of police brutality or abuse of rights, which occurred in Lagos State. On 15th April, 2014, Sp Adekunle Awe, DPO of Onikan Police Division, allegedly raped Ms. Idowu Akinwunmi while she was held in police custody at the police division. Separately, around the same period, Cpl Muhammed Nasir with Force Number 229057 was seen in a video clip assaulting and brutalizing Ms. Funmilayo Adebayo, a food vendor, because the poor lady did not sell her food to the officer in violation of her practice. These incidents are outrageous and totally unacceptable. DPA has a duty to pursue justice for these women and to take the opportunity to seek a judicial interpretation of the powers of the police vis-a-vis the fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution. We shall be suing the officers involved and their commanders for their failure to discipline their main and prevent the kind of incidents that occurred here. We believe the commanders had supervisory responsibilities over the activities of their men and their failures to perform their duties in that respect led to these incidents. For that purpose, we are treating the IG of Police, the DIG of Police Responsible for Lagos, and the Commissioner of Police for Lagos be having command responsibilities over these officers. We may also be suing the Attorney-General of the Federation. He too has responsibility to protect the rights of Nigerians against abuses of this nature. His repeated past failures to perform his duties in this regard contributed to an atmosphere where the Nigerian policemen feel they are above the law. For those who have provided us information, we are grateful and we encourage you to continue to support our work with more information and in any other way you can. Thank you and Happy Easter. Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 14:15:24 +0000