Years After Court Order, Woman Assaulted by Nigerian Police Officers Awaits ₦5 Million Compensation
By Yunusa Umar
Adetola Abdulazeez, an Osun-based fabric designer, recently shared her traumatic experience of being flogged and brutally assaulted by two Nigerian Police Officers, Ikuesan Taiwo and Abass Ibrahim, in the Osogbo area. INCNews247 conducted an investigation into the incident and subsequent developments.
According to our findings, the assault took place on April 18, 2020, as Abdulazeez went to pick up her young daughter from school. She narrated the events, stating, “It happened on 18th of April when I went to pick up my little girl in Iwo, and I boarded a bike,” and “When we saw a policeman coming towards our direction, the bike man said that he wouldn’t continue for some obvious reason”.
Abdulazeez, in an exclusive interview with INCNews247, revealed that after alighting from the bike, she stood under a building, waiting for the police officers to pass so she could continue her journey. However, one of the officers approached her, without giving her a chance to explain herself, and began flogging her with a cane. She pleaded with the officers, attempting to make them listen to her side of the story, but the beating continued.
Our investigation reveals that Abdulazeez intended to explain to the officers why she had stood at that particular spot. She stated, “I was shouting repeatedly to listen to what I had to say because they were holding a cane,” and “The officer beat me while I was trying to move away till we got to their van where the video was captured.”
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Abdulazeez further recounted her plea to the officers, saying, “I calmly said to them, ‘Oh, you can’t be beating me like this. I am a woman,’ and one of his colleagues came and joined him.” The assault continued, with the officers even resorting to using a baton after the cane broke.
During INCNews247 investigation, we discovered that a superior officer eventually intervened and inquired about the incident. Abdulazeez provided a detailed account of the assault, after which she was allowed to leave. However, her body had already sustained severe injuries, necessitating immediate medical attention.
After the assault, Abdulazeez filed a complaint at the police station and learned that a video recording of the incident existed. The video went viral, prompting the Commissioner of Police to take notice and instruct her to come forward. She was escorted by her husband and a police convoy to Osogbo, where the two officers involved were promptly arrested.
INCNews247’s investigation further uncovered significant developments in Abdulazeez’s quest for justice.
On February 1, 2021, the Federal High Court in Osogbo, under the jurisdiction of Justice Ayo Emmanuel, ruled in her favour and ordered the Nigerian Police to pay her ₦5 million as compensation for the assault. The court also reportedly dismissed the two officers involved in the incident, Abbas Ibrahim and Taiwo Ikuesan.
However, our finding reveals that despite the court order, Abdulazeez has yet to receive the compensation owed to her.
Expressing her frustration, she stated, “I sued the Nigerian Police, obtained a judgment from the court, and was awarded five million naira as compensation, but I have not received anything since then.”
In response to INCNews247’s inquiries, the Nigerian Police spokesman, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, expressed unawareness of the court judgment. He assured us that he would consult the legal department for more information and encouraged Abdulazeez to provide a copy of the judgment for further review.
He said: “”I am not aware of the judgements”, his text message reads. “I will find out from the legal department. And the beneficiary can avail a copy of the judgment to know what the content is. Thanks”.
INCNews247’s investigation into this case highlights the ongoing struggle faced by victims seeking justice and compensation for police brutality in Nigeria. The delay in disbursing the court-ordered compensation raises concerns about the implementation of legal decisions and accountability within the Nigerian Police Force.
