Residents of Arandun community in Kwara State at the weekend staged a protest over what they described as “unlawful detention” of an underaged girl who the Nigeria police reportedly arrested and detained for three days over an offence allegedly committed by her brother.
The protest witnessed members of the aggrieved community stormed the local police station and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the 16-years-old girl.
A close source to the community said that while the police operatives were reportedly searching for the underaged girl’s brother allegedly in connection with a generator theft, they decided to arrest her when they couldn’t locate the suspect.
The protesters alleged that the underaged girl was denied access to food and visitation rights while in custody under the supervision of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
In a video circulating on social media, the aggrieved relatives and community members were seen at the station demanding the immediate release of the underaged girl whom they noted had suffered for an offence she did not commit and insisted that the detained girl is underage and should not be held for a crime she did not commit.
This was as the mother of the underaged girl said that she was the first person to be arrested and detained during the initial search for her son.
The worried mother appealed for public intervention, stating that although her son was accused of committing an offence, she and her underaged daughter were being made to bear the consequences of an offence they know nothing about.
The woman pointedly said that she was detained for three days and made to pay for bail before she was released and expressed surprise that after her release, the same police operatives and arrested her 16-year-old daughter.
She explained that despite repeated pleas, the police insisted on prosecuting the teenager, who she maintained had no involvement in the alleged crime.
The members of the community described the situation as unjust, and particularly questioned why the authorities would detain a minor in connection with another person’s alleged offence.
The police is yet to issue an official statement on the matter particularly as it relates to the crime committed by the girl’s brother, but the development has set the social media buzzing, with many calling for accountability and adherence to due process, especially in cases involving minors.
