Amnesty International criticises Nigeria Police for 'invading' Dakolo’s residence

Amnesty International criticises Nigeria Police for 'invading' Dakolo’s residence

Amnesty International says it is unacceptable that victims of sexual abuse are subjected to arrest and intimidation.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Amnesty International says it is unacceptable that victims of sexual abuse are subjected to arrest and intimidation.

               
           
               
                   

Following social media reactions to armed policemen’s invasion of Dakolo’s house on Saturday, July 20, 2019, Amnesty International to criticise the Nigerian Police Force.

               
           
               
                   

The human rights agency said the police were ‘intimidating victims of sexual abuse’ describing their presence at Dakolo's residence as ‘a new low in Nigeria’s spate of impunity’.

               
           
               
                   

The agency in a series of Tweets which have since been deleted said “it is unacceptable that women seeking justice for sexual abuse are subjected to arrest and intimidation” adding that “attempts to intimidate and harass Timi and Bukola Dakolo by the police shows a disturbing pattern of how authorities respond to allegations of sexual abuse.”

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Amnesty International

               

               
           
               
                   

However, the Nigerian Police Force has reacted to the purported arrest and intimidation of Timi and his wife, Busola, following reports that some police officers went to the couple’s house to arrest them.

               
           
               
                   

The Force said the officers only went to their house to invite and not to arrest them.

               
           
               
                   

Earlier, a copy of the invitation sent to Timi Dakolo signed by Kolo Yusuf, Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP Special Tactical Squad, Abuja and seen by Pulse states that the police is inviting him for an investigation about a case of criminal conspiracy, falsehood, mischief and threat to life in which his name was mentioned.

               
           
               
                   

The NPF has also confirmed the presence of its men at the Dakolos’ residence in a statement released on Sunday, July 21, 2019. 

               
           
               
                   

The statement reads in part: The Nigeria Police Force is confirming that its operatives today, 20th July, 2019 served official Invitation Letters on Bisola and Timi Dakolo.

               
           
               
                   

The invitation is sequel to an on-going police investigation touching on the wider and highly publicized case involving Bisola Dakolo, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo and others.

               
           
               
                   

It is important however to note that a Police Invitation Letter is not synonymous with a Warrant of Arrest, and must not be construed to be one. Rather, it is a polite investigative tool used in eliciting information voluntarily from parties to aid police investigations.

               
           
               
                   

Recall that Busola recently alleged that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly raped her twice when she was a teenager.

Source: Amnesty International criticises Nigeria Police for 'invading' Dakolo’s residence

- gist culled from pulseng