Ekiti: Police allegedly beat nursing mother, detain two-month-old baby, over bribe
Some policemen in Ado-Ekiti allegedly brutalised a nursing mother, identified as Toyin Adeleye, over her refusal to bribe them.
Toyin had reportedly just returned from the United States where she was delivered of her two-month-old baby.
Reports say Toyin, her baby, and her younger brother Adeniyi Dada, were, on Friday, stopped on their way from the market by some policemen who demanded for their vehicle’s particulars.
Adeniyi, who drove the black Kia Picanto car, reportedly tendered complete papers and valid driver’s license.
The police, rather than letting them go, allegedly wanted more – a bribe.
Toyin and her brother refused, and were allegedly harassed and beaten up, before they were detained and their car, impounded.
Police however claimed the nursing mother tore one of the men’s cloth.
The incident reportedly happened few meters away from the official residence of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe.
Mr. Akanni Adeleye, Toyin’s husband, however denied that his wife engaged in a scuffle with the police.
“On arrival at the checkpoint in front of the Pavilion very close to their station, they asked for all vehicle papers and driver’s licence which were produced and they are valid,” Adeyeye is quoted as saying on Saturday.
“After checking all the documents, the policemen were demanding for money to be given as ‘settlement’ which my wife and her brother refused. My wife drew their attention to the baby that was crying in the car.
“Five of them were beating her at the point of arrest and on getting to the station, the beating continued. After thoroughly beating her, they obtained her statement around 10.00 pm.
“On getting to the station, they now cooked up a story that my wife slapped one of them and tore his uniform which is a lie. They are telling this lie to justify their action of their cruelty. Neither my wife nor her brother slapped any policeman or tore any uniform.”
The Ekiti state chapter of Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) have reportedly waded into the incident.
