…assault violates the Nigerian Police Code of Conduct
Juliana Francis
The Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has urged the Nigerian Police hierarchy to ensure that woman Police Inspector Mrs Olorunsogo Bamidele, attached to Ode-Omu Division Headquarters, gets justice following an alleged assault on her by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Mr Ajayi Mathew.
It will be recalled that the aggrieved woman in a viral video had alleged that Mathew assaulted and inflicted injuries on her because she rebuffed his sexual advances. She further stated that she rebuffed him because she was married.
According to her, Mathew, feeling scorned and acting like a wounded lion, did not only assault her but also tarnished her reputation and then brought out a Dane gun, threatening to shoot her.
The National Coordinator, of NOPRIN Foundation, Mr Ikule Emmanuel, reacting to the video said: “Our attention was brought to a viral video making the rounds on social media of Olorunsogo Bamidele, a female Police Officer attached to Ode-Omu division headquarters where she alleges with visible wounds inflicted on her body that her DCO, ASP Ajayi Matthew is responsible for the wounds and other actions which are inhuman and degrading to her personality. She further alleged that she became a target for her DCO’s unlawful excesses after she refused to have extra-marital affairs with him.”
Ikule said that the actions of Mathew were against the ethics of the police especially when had taken advantage of the fact that he was a senior officer.
“This violates Principle 4 of the Nigerian Police Code of Conduct, the VAPP Act 2015, Anti-Torture Act 2017 which prohibits all forms of violence and Torture against Citizens. This further darkens the already poor image of officers,” said Ikule.
He urged the Nigeria Police Force, the Police-Complaint Response Unit to act timeously in ensuring that justice prevailed in the matter.
He further stated: “The Police should also strengthen their structures to ensure that situations like this become a thing of the past with the Nigeria Police. We also Call the Police oversight Agency, the Police Service Commission to carry out its duty of oversight to address poor conduct of senior officers as there have been other reports of Sexual Abuse by Officers as well as the rape of suspects detained at stations in the Country. We call on the National Human Right Commission to ensure the rights of citizens are protected and respected. We call on all victims of Police abuse whether physical, mental or sexual to report these abuses to us via our social media handles-noprinfoundation@gmail.com, @policereformNG, 08167178486. We assure the general public that we are on the watch to ensure that justice is served in this case while partnering with the Police Service Commission, Police, to strengthen her structures to ensure that the rights and well-being of every Police Officer, citizen are protected.”
