Nigerians protest against alleged police brutality against women (photos/video)

Nigerians have taken to the street to protest alleged police violation of the rights of women particularly in Abuja.

The protest which is expected to take place in Lagos, Abuja and Accra in Ghana on Saturday, May 5 was spurred by police raid on women whom they described as prostitutes at the Caramelo Night Club in Abuja

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In reaction, concerned Nigerians converged at Old Parade ground from where they marched with placards bearing different inscriptions like: “To Be a Woman is Not a Crime”, “Stop the Gender-Based Violence”, “We Have a Right to be Heard”, “My Dressing is my Choice”, etc.

Civil Society Organisations also condemned the raids, alleged assault and sexual harassment of the 71 women reported to have been arrested in and around the club on the said day.

The CSOs called on governments at all levels to end the unlawful assault of women in the country.

It was alleged that some of the women were extorted and miloested.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command pledged to mete out stiff penalties on any officer found guilty of the alleged harassment and molestation of women at the Caramelo Night Club raid in Abuja.

The command, in a press statement on Friday by ASP Danjuma Tanimu, said a high powered team has been constituted to investigate the veracity of the allegations.

He assured the public of the police’s `zero tolerance for unprofessional disregard to human rights’, noting that ‘as a responsible corporate citizen, the Command views the allegations seriously’’.

Tanimu said investigations was already on in the allegations of abuse, severe beating, extortion and maltreatment of some of the women arrested and confined at the Utako Police Division from April 26 to April 29.

He said that invitations had been sent out to relevant individuals that would assist in uncovering the truth, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The FCTA Joint Task Team, comprising of the Department of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the Social Development Secretariat, raided the club on April 26.

Videos of the raid trended on social media, showing varying human violations of women taken into vans and in custody at the Utako Police Division.

Some of the women that shared their experiences, alleged violations in the van and varying alleged molestation at the Utako Police Station before being granted bail and arraigned at a mobile court on April 29.

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Source: Legit.ng