Estimated reading time: 13 minute(s)
Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, one of the widows of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola has denied assaulting a police officer , saying, the Nigeria Police Force authorities framed her up because of her support for #EndSARS victims.
Zainab said this on Friday while speaking shortly after she was denied bail for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
Along with her domestic staff, one Rebecca Enechido, the professor was arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Wuse, Federal Capital Territory by the FCT Police Command.
Before the sitting, a video clip showing a female officer in uniform bleeding, seated on the floor, went viral on Wednesday.
Zainab said “The IGP was very angry; he reduced the number of cases assigned to me because of my office at the legal department of the police. My office is there. Did you not see my letterhead paper?
“If they (police) have another Chief Legal Consultant in Nigeria, let them bring him out. It’s no other person but me. Even the senior lawyers listen to me, so I give recommendations.
“I recommended that all these lopsided appointments of Christians by the IGP be withdrawn. I wrote to the President. Intelligent police officers, you decided to retire them. You need these people to fight insecurity. That’s me. Thank God that this thing happened. Who will know that I have been rendering pro bono services to the Nigeria Police Force for years?
“You said you were supporting #EndSARS people, and you called yourself our Chief Legal Consultant. Why would you be supporting those thugs, those criminals, those Lagos boys, those Tinubu boys? Yes, that’s what the IGP said.
“It appears you are working and supporting Tinubu. Openly, he said so in his office. What do you think? You supporting Tinubu. I kept quiet, I didn’t reply to him (IGP), he said so in his office. I think his office has a camera. Let them bring the recording of that meeting out.
“Is it wrong to be against police brutality, discrimination against innocent citizens, misuse of guns against Nigerians? I haven’t done anything. I don’t assault people. My hand is for healing, for good things. It’s not in my character. They were just looking for a way to embarrass me.
“It started after I came back from the United States of America and actually expressed support for #EndSARS freedom fighters openly. The IGP, Alkali Baba Usman, was not happy.
“That was where his son, one Engineer Ibrahim, stepped in and offered to take me to see the IGP for a fee. But I refused to pay any bribe and the IGP’s son, Engineer Ibrahim, took offence. He, Ibrahim, now brought his girlfriend, one misses Zara to us. When it was discovered that the girlfriend of the IGP’s son has sickle cell disease, my firm offered to help but Ibrahim travelled out.
“On his return, the IGP’s son kept visiting our office and not being able to get any headway. He turned 360 degrees and became an enemy and very hostile. Nobody beats up any ordnance. It is not in my character.”
She added that the officer allegedly assaulted wasn’t attached to her at the time of the alleged offence.
“I rejected her posting after realising she’s been on a peacekeeping mission to several countries and should be rehabilitated first due to her mental health.”
“But she came back that particular night. I wasn’t even the one who attended to her, so how could I have given the order that she should be assaulted?
The matter was adjourned till October 5, 2022, and she was remanded in Suleja Prison pending the adjourned date.
Meanwhile, Also , the Police Service Commission (PSC) has described the attack on Insp. Teju Moses, a female police orderly attached to Prof. Zainab Abiola, as barbaric and inhuman.
This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, in Abuja.
According to him, the assault on the police officer was a direct threat to national security and a calculated attempt to ridicule the Nigeria Police Force and what it stands for.
He called for the immediate investigation and prosecution of all characters involved in the show of shame.
Furthermore, he urged the police authorities to review the operations of the Special Protection Unit (SPU).
The PSC spokesman said the call was to ensure that only a few Nigerians who genuinely deserve such protection are given the service.
“The Commission frowns at the abuse of police orderlies by Nigerians who now use them as status symbols or convert them to house helpers who clean, cook, or do menial jobs.”
“With the security problems ravaging the nation, there is an urgent need to free many police officers loitering in private houses and following big men around,” he said.
Ani called on the police hierarchy to quickly put a stop to the practice and concentrate its efforts on the policing and protection of vulnerable Nigerians.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
FOOTNOTE: Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 or email: platformtimes@gmail.com
