Ogun Police insists victim must be present for it to probe randy officer

The Nigerian Police, Ogun State Command, have insisted that the lady who accused an officer of sexual harassment must be present before it begins a probe into the allegation.

20-year-old Precious Owolabi, was harassed by police officers on patrol around Olabisi Onabanjo Mini Campus in Ago-Iwoye, on Monday, February 5, 2024, around 7 pm.

She was stopped on a bike for wearing camouflage shorts and was dragged to their patrol van, where the incident allegedly occurred.

According to video footage she posted, the harassment intensified after she told the officer she was a virgin. He insisted she must kiss him because he liked her or would be detained in a police cell.

Owolabi, who no longer felt safe in the community, the incident the following morning and immediately fled home as she had only returned to Ago-Iwoye for her convocation at the Olabisi Onabanjo University.

She told WestAfricaWeekly, “I talked to the DPO and he said I will need to come to the station first before he can do anything. I told him I already left the town because I only went there to return my convocation gown to the school. So I had to leave the next morning as soon as I could. Most especially because of what I went through the previous night. I didn’t even feel safe there. I had to get home the next day before I shared it online.

“The police said I should have reported the next morning before leaving. I didn’t even know the station that the man was from. Plus were they just expecting me to walk into any station and report a police officer that I’m yet to identify and then tender the evidence I risked my life to make? That doesn’t seem wise or safe,” she said.

She said the police have been concealing the name of the randy police officer, further fueling her fear. However, she was thankful that the officer didn’t notice that she was recording when he gave her access to her phone to make a call.

“I do not feel safe enough to come down to the police station alone. I know how far stories can change regardless of evidence and I no longer trust any police officer, none of them. Even now that I’m miles away I still feel unsafe. People have been telling me to be very careful because they will be so mad that I got evidence.

“I noticed they were not willing to give his name but I was lucky and smart to not get caught when I was recording. I don’t want to be killed for exposing the evidence like a fool,” she said.

Owolabi said in an exclusive interview with The Punch that she was also physically abused when she declined to follow the officer home to have sex with him.

“He asked when I was going back home, and I said I was going back home the next day (which was Tuesday). He then said he would love to have sex with me and pay me well the next morning, but I respectfully told him that I couldn’t have sex with him, and then he slapped me on my right cheek,” she said.

Although the Ogun State Police Command acknowledged the crime and had allegedly invited the DPO and the officer in question, it was the same response Owolabi got when she reached out to the state command.

WestAfricaWeekly reached out to the command via DM on X to follow up on the case but got no feedback.

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