Police Arrest Professor For ‘Beating Orderly Who Refused To Do House Chores’
The lawyer, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola, and her housemaid. Credit: Force Headquarters.
The police have arrested a lawyer and human rights activist, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola, for allegedly assaulting her orderly in Abuja.
The alleged assault, the police said, followed the refusal of the orderly – Inspector Teju Moses – to do house chores.
Prof Abiola was arrested alongside her housemaid, Rebecca Enechido after a video clip went viral on Wednesday.
In the video, the officer is seen in uniform bleeding, seated on the floor, and asking to be taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the professor’s arrest in a statement on Thursday, saying the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has directed that the suspects should be prosecuted.
Noting that the IGP strongly condemned the assault, the Force spokesman said police operatives were going after a fleeing domestic worker complicit in the assault.
“The IGP strongly condemned the grievous assault of a female Police Officer, Inspector Teju Moses, by her principal who is a legal practitioner and human rights activist, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola and her domestic staff comprising the housemaid, one Rebecca Enechido and a male suspect currently at large,” he said.
“Zainab Duke, a Mbaise-born activist, grievously assaulted her orderly in the company of some accomplices on Tuesday 20th September 2022 at her residence in Garki, Abuja, due to the refusal of the orderly to breach professional ethics by carrying out menial and domestic chores at her house.
“The IGP has directed the express prosecution of the arrested suspects who are currently in police custody, as the preliminary investigation shows overwhelming evidence of culpability on the part of the Professor and her domestic staff.
“The IGP has equally tasked the investigative team to ensure that the fleeing suspect is arrested and made to face the wrath of the law. It is pertinent to clarify that the suspect, Prof. Zainab, who name-drops the IGP, his family members, and other officers in the top hierarchy of the Force has no acquaintance with the police in any form as erroneously peddled on social media.”
According to the Force spokesman, the IGP has ordered the withdrawal of all police personnel attached to the professor.
He equally expressed disappointment that an individual who claims to be an advocate for human rights could violate the rights of another person.
See the full police statement on the arrest below:
In reply, please quote
Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.4/177 22nd September, 2022
The Director of News
…………………………….
PRESS RELEASE
GRIEVOUS ASSAULT ON WOMAN POLICE: IGP CONDEMNS ACT, ORDERS EXPRESS PROSECUTION OF CASE
As Professor, Other Culprit Arrested
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, has strongly condemned the grievous assault of a female Police Officer, Inspector Teju Moses, by her principal who is a Legal practitioner and human rights activist, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola and her domestic staff comprising the house maid, one Rebecca Enechido and a male suspect currently at large.
Zainab Duke, an Mbaise-born activist, grievously assaulted her orderly in the company of some accomplices, due to the refusal of the orderly to breach professional ethics by carrying out menial and domestic chores at her house.
The IGP has directed the express prosecution of the arrested suspects who are currently in Police custody, as the preliminary investigation shows overwhelming evidence of culpability on the part of the Professor and her domestic staff. The IGP has equally tasked the investigative team to ensure that the fleeing suspect is arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
It is pertinent to clarify that the suspect, Prof. Zainab, who name-drops the IGP, his family members, and other officers in the top hierarchy of the Force has no acquaintance with the Police in any form as erroneously peddled on social media.
The Inspector-General of Police who similarly ordered the withdrawal of all Police personnel attached to the Professor expressed consternation at the fact that an individual who claims to be an advocate for Human Rights could stoop so low to violate the rights of another individual, a police officer tasked with ensuring her protection.
CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA.
22nd September 2022
more …
Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, one of the widows of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, was on Friday 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.
Speaking with newsmen, Zainab said that the Nigeria Police Force authorities framed her up because of her support for #EndSARS victims.
“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 orderly. 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.