Some protesters on Saturday besieged the federal capital
territory (FCT) police command over the alleged rape of some
commercial sex workers by some policemen.
In April, a joint task force raided Caramelo, a popular strip
club, in the nation’s capital, and arrested some strippers.
The task force also arrested suspected sex workers in different
parts of Abuja. Some of those arrested were allegedly raped by
police officers.
In response to the allegation, the FCT police command said it
had set up a “high power” team to probe the allegations.
But the protesters stormed the command on Saturday, demanding
that the culprits be punished publicly.
They also held placards which read “Sex for bail is rape”, “To
be a woman is not a crime”, “You should protect us not harm us”,
among others.
Addressing reporters in front of the command, Rebecca Umar,
leader of the protest, said police are supposed to defend women and
not rape them.
“We are here to tell the police that you. The police is supposed
to be our friend. We are women, we should be free to wear whatever
we want to wear without being arrested,” Umar said.
“It is not a crime to be a woman. We will not be silent, we are
here because of the recent happenings at Utako (Caramelo) and other
places.
“The police is supposed to defend us, not rape us.”
Also speaking, Aisha Yesufu, an activist, said it is the right
of a woman to dress the way she wants.
“I have the right to wear a hijab and another has the right for
mini and not wear anything. It is our fundamental human rights, you
do not a right to label a woman a prostitute because of the way she
is dressed,” Yesufu said.
“The Nigerian police, you are all out here with your guns, why
are you not on Abuja-Kaduna road?”
S. Umar, deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations,
FCT command, assured the protesters that the officers “found
wanting will be punished.”
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