Date Published: 07/15/09
Are women really being protected by the nigerian police?
By Emem Eduok <eduokbrook@yahoo.com>
Yesterday, i witnessed one of the most played out injustice metted out on someone. Its so amazing that up till now in this country with all this noise every where of reformation, democracy craze we still leave in a world of pure illusion. were all our dreams and rights as normal citizens of our beloved country will never be granted us.
I got an early call from someone very close to me. With my sleepy eyes, i opened my door to see my friend looking so pale and drained. i noticed her puffed eyes. Was still trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Why she actually woke me up that early and why she was looking that way.
Then as she opened her mouth to speak i noticed blood stains on her teeth and very very visible fresh sore on her gum, still really trying to fix up this puzzle. this girl slumps on me. I was so amazed at what i saw, my friend's body was bruised beyond recognition. i mean i skin was battered up like a drum. i tried and revived her.
I was still trying myself to really reckon what was going on. How someone could do such a thing to a fellow human being, cause i know she possible would not do that to herself. My freind got herself together and started narrating her gruesome tale.
There is a friend of her's called christopher osuji. She has known this guy for close to 2yrs not as a lover but a friend. The way a man meets a girl and the process of getting to know the person. They were always communicating, from time to time. They met one on one a few times. He actually even proposed to her, she told him she was not ready for marriage. She said she never knew she was dealing with the devil himself.
On this faithful day, the 11th of july at 10pm.this her said friend called her that he just got back from the uk. Out of the excitement of getting to see her friend she rushed on his invitation and went to see him. Before they retired finally for the night. she said she had a call and he jokingly collected her phone, saying he wanted to spend quality time with her that her calls were disturbing.She allowed him have her phone. Whatever happened after then was left to the both of them.
Very early the next morning, she woke up and was about to leave. She woke up her friend to get her phone from him and also to alert him of her departure. he grudgingly, woke up with a frown on his face and told her he hated people waking him up and wanted to go back to sleep. My friend still tapped him telling him to just give her back her phone so she can leave and he also could go back to his precious sleep.
That's when he let out the animal in him loose. He started by punching her straight in the face. He dragged her hand and threw her out of the room. Still shocked at his sudden outburst. She stood outside his door for some minutes still trying to get hold of the situation, as she was about to leave she realised she still did not have her phone. So she went back.
She knocked on the animals door he opened it wide. As naive as she was not knowing the beast was setting a trap for her she put her first feet inside and the next thing she felt a belt wrapped round her neck like a dog. He dragged her inside. Using the belt on her neck has a leash, he dragged her into the toilet, locked the door, put the volume of the tv to the highest to drain any screams from being heard outside.
Then he unleashed pure hell on my friend. He punched her over and over again on the face. Forced her clothes off her body. He beat her over and over again with the belt. The leather of the belt tearing into her skin.with no mercy what soever this beast used the head of his belt and slammed it repeatedly on her head. Pulled her hair plucking out some braid strands. This girl was so exhausted with screams of pains,begging and of help that she just went still. Instead of this wicked beast to have mercy on this girl. He stretched her limp legs and took a spray and tried to insert it into her private part (just imagine the height of wickedness). With the little strength she could muster she used her hand to cover there. He used the head of his belt to hit her hands repeatedly until the steel of the belt head cracked her nails an sunk some into her flesh.
When he was through, he threw her out of the room. How she got herself to my place. I don't know. Her story sounded so unreal. but the proof was so visible. I tried to get her relaxed, rushed her back to the place with some police officer's. There is no real human being that saw this girl that did not scream in total shock.
This guy was arrested and taken to the station. Zone 3 police station abuja.
Christopher Osuji was not remorseful at all. He was just talking with all manner of pride. Boasting about knowing the high and mighty in the society. The police officer in charge of the case was trying to make my friend settle with him amicable that's if she wanted too. But, when it was clear this beast was not apologetic in any way my friend decided to go along with the case. The police even took her to the general hospital.
I was already happy to know that justce was being served and smiling to myself to feel a sense of protection with our nigerian police. When the D.P.O of zone 3. came into the room were my friend was writng her statement and said. This were is words "all you this girls you wont go to your parents house, stop doing ashawo, it is not good". he walked away. I was so flabbergasted to hear a man of that authority talk so carelessly and casually. He did not even talk like a father or as an educated man. just cause he heard there was a case between a man and a woman. He automatically categorized my friend as an ASHAWO. As if those people he calls that name her not human beings and have no right to be protected by the law.
This girl in question is from a very good home. she is a graduate of pharmacy about doing her internship. she had a male friend. Is that now a crime that deserves this sort of brutality?.Who are we to judge a fellow human being? D.P.O cause you have your own personal conviction of how sex is supposed to be relayed. Is that the reason you should pass judgement based on that.
Instead of locking up this man. the D.P.O changed the case from assault and battering to D.P.P.(disturbance of public peace). That this already battered girl should be locked up and charged to court unless she rewrote her statement apologysing to the police for every inconvenience caused. can you imagine. I stared in total amazement. what is this country turning to?.What is the difference between my friend's case and the case of the saudi arabian girl that was raped and also convicted by the same law thet was supposed to protect her? What really is the job of the nigerian police to we women?
Some time ago when i traveled to Ghana a male friend of mine slapped me. i rushed straight to the police station and even with the fact i was not a national. They took action immediately.Made sure the guy faced the consequences of his action. This was in another man's country.It's no wonder even the 1st black president of America chose to honor that country. it's a big shame Nigerian's if we sit down and allow this in justice everyday to go un noticed.
It will be a shame if women continue to allow this in discrimination go on. What of if this guy beat up this girl to her death will that fanatical DPO sue her dead body for D.P.P. Shame on you DPO. That man walked out of that police station with his head high. what lesson are they passing across?
Nigerians enough is enough!
