Reports had said the woman was arrested by policemen attached to the Ifako Police Division.
However, the state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, has denied the claims, warning Lagos residents to stop acts that could pit the people against security forces.
A story written by one Anuoluwapo Eso and shared on Facebook by a banker, Akinmade Boluwaji, had accused the police of unjust arrest of Sister Happiness, a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Glory Worship Centre, who found a child near the Ifako canal on July 20 and took her to the church.
In the report titled: “Police is not our friend,” the writer alleged that the church headed by Pastor Tope Akimbola took the missing child to Alakara Police Station, which has children and a juvenile centre.
Owoseni, who invited all parties after the matter was brought to his attention, expressed dissatisfaction at the extent some people go to gain public sympathy.
He said the woman was arrested because she didn’t take the child to the church directly as alleged.
Owoseni said the woman works in the neighbourhood and heard for over six days that a child had gone missing and never told anyone, not even her employer that she saw a missing girl and took her to Alakara Police Station.
He added that the Divisional Officer in charge of Ifako smelt a rat when the woman eventually came forward because the victim’s guardians allegedly received an anonymous message demanding ransom for her freedom.
He added: “I am amazed at the things some people do to gain public sympathy. Why should anyone go to that extent just to paint the police bad? When I invited them, all the parties, including the Baale of the community came to my office and it was discovered that the issue was not the way the writer painted it.
“Even the pastor they came with was begging on his behalf because we could have arrested him for peddling falsehood. What actually happened was that the woman works in that neighbourhood and she saw the little girl one morning.
“Instead of asking around to find out where she came from, she took the child to her house and left her there from that morning till about 9:00 p.m. when she returned from work. By that time, they have started looking for the child.
“She then took her to the church and from there to Alakara Police Station. She never stopped going to work and so, it is expected that she would have heard people talking about the missing girl. She never told anyone, not even her employer that she found a little girl and took her to Alakara Police Station.
“The Baale and community people were looking for the girl and they reported to the police. Then, after about six days, the woman told someone that she found a little girl and she was taken to Alakara Police Station.
“By the time she was saying it, the child’s guardians have received an anonymous message demanding money for her release. So, was the DPO wrong to suspect foul play?
“Okay, the woman was arrested and the writer contacted an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), as he claimed, who spoke with the DPO and she was granted bail. She was handed over to a surety who would produce her whenever she was required because the matter was to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti for investigation.”
Contacted, Eso declined comments on the matter, telling our reporter that “the matter has been settled and the woman released.”
The Nation
No comments:
Post a Comment