A 17-year-old girl (name withheld) and her mother, Mrs. Aramide Olupona, have accused a police officer identified as Officer Owolabi, attached to the Ogudu Police Station, Ojota in Lagos State of allegedly raping her in an office at the station, and attempting to cover up the incident.
According to the victim’s account, “On June 29, 2024, Officer Owolabi called my mum on her phone and told her he had arrested the person with my phone and my mum should send me to his police station, and I went there. On getting there, I was told they made a mistake with the tracking, and that the person caught wasn’t the one with my phone.
“The officer sent his assistant to call me into his office and he showed me directions there. When I entered his office and greeted him, he replied and got up to lock the door and put the key in his pocket. I shouted, ‘Sir, why did you lock the door?’
“He started trying to pull my clothes off and I shouted, then he brought out a gun, cocked it, and threatened to shoot me if I shouted. Then he began harassing me and when I struggled with him he hit me on the back of my head with the gun and raped me.
“I saw his phone ringing and the caller was my mum, but he told me since I didn’t have a phone with me, I should tell her I didn’t get to his office and from now on I should be reporting at his office by noon every day during school break or while returning from school that he had been watching me for two years and now I just fell into his trap.”
Also speaking, the mother of the victim, Mrs Olupona, said her daughter began bleeding a day following the assault and was taken to the Mirabel Centre, adding that the incident was also reported to the authorities.
She, however, accused the police of trying to bury the case, saying: “The suspect’s wife and the rest of his family have come to my shop to plead with me that he would soon retire, but what about my daughter that was raped? Is it because I am a poor woman?
“The Area Commander of the station too invited me and pleaded with me to bury the case, now they are saying the suspect has fled and his whereabouts is unknown, but my daughter is distraught and has said she wants to commit suicide. My girl needs justice.”
Reacting to the allegation in a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “The Lagos State Police Command has placed one of its personnel accused of defiling a 17-year-old girl under arrest.
“The state Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, has, meanwhile, directed a full-scale and thorough investigation into the allegation.
“The Command assures the public that there is no attempt at a cover-up, as such hideous acts are at variance with the code of conduct and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police Force.
“To this end, Fayoade once again assures Nigerians that the officer would be dealt with in accordance with police regulations and the law if found culpable.”
