Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, on Sunday night announced his government’s interest in the case of a woman assaulted by some policemen in Ado Ekiti on Friday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the governor made this known while speaking on a monthly public enlightenment programme, “The Governor Explains”.
He disclosed that an investigation panel has been set up to probe what actually transpired between the woman and the police.
He said the investigation would reveal the policemen that beat the woman.
The governor said he was particularly disturbed by media reports linking policemen to the alleged beating of the woman, Mrs Toyin Adeyeye, despite her status as a nursing mother.
He described as regrettable the police action, coming barely two weeks after the state celebrated Women’s Day with fanfare.
The governor declared that the law on violence against women still subsists in the state, and that the law would be applied as appropriate in this matter.
Mr Abdullahi Chafe, the state Commissioner of Police, had said the woman was beaten by policemen at a checkpoint in Ado Ekiti because she slapped one of his men and tore his uniform. He claimed the woman slapped one of his men when she was asked to prove the ownership of the car in which she was being driven.
Chafe spoke in a reaction to the social media outrage against the policemen for brutalizing a woman.
After the beating, Adeyeye and her baby, including her younger brother, Adeniyi Dada were detained at a police station in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. The Kia Picanto that Dada was driving was also impounded.
Chafe said, “It is not good for somebody to prevent a law enforcement officer from carrying out his lawful duty, somebody wearing the uniform? It is not about his age but the authority he carries, I don’t allow my men to do something contrary to the law.
“Those people slapped my policeman on duty and tore his uniform. Uniform is an authority and what those people did was against the law and it is not good for a civilian to slap a policeman.
“I don’t want a woman to be detained with baby or with pregnancy. I don’t want an old woman or a minor to be detained. I have taken note of this and we will take the right action on the matter as investigation continues.”
The woman’s husband, Mr Akanni Adeyeye refuted the police claim. He said that his wife and her brother were beaten and detained for refusing to offer bribe to the policemen at the checkpoint.
He told reporters that about five policemen on duty at the checkpoint beat them before taking them to the New Iyin Police Station where they were detained.
He added that the police also impounded the black Kia Picanto car with registration number LAGOS FKJ 221 EE conveying them.
The woman and her daughter were released by the police on Saturday night.
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