A pregnant woman in Lagos State, Mrs. Deborah Ojeniyi, has sounded the alarm following the midnight arrest of her husband by officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Amuwo Odofin Police Post. The incident occurred on Saturday night when the police raided a hospital.
Mrs. Ojeniyi insists her husband is innocent of any crime. She recounted that they had gone to Restore Health Clinic in Amuwo Odofin that evening to visit her husband’s twin brother, who was receiving treatment. Around 9 pm, approximately five police officers arrived in a shuttle bus and started arresting people outside the hospital, including her husband.
When they questioned the officers about her husband’s alleged crime, the police responded by shooting in the air and threatening to shoot her husband in the leg. One officer reportedly said, “This is not EndSARS, police are angry. If you do anyhow, I will scatter your leg. Government is not doing us well.”
Mrs. Ojeniyi attempted to bring her husband’s twin brother to the police station for verification, but the officers again fired shots into the air and chased them away. She expressed her frustration and helplessness, sharing with SaharaReporters that her pleas for her husband’s release have been ignored by the police.
Describing the ordeal, she said, “Last night, my husband and I went to the hospital to see his twin brother. Police came to raid the area, and my husband went outside to check the commotion. They arrested him. He’s currently at Amuwo Odofin police post, Second Rainbow. The police kept shooting and chasing us. Despite being pregnant, I pleaded for mercy, but they refused to release him.”
Mrs. Ojeniyi added that the police told her they were not under FESTAC jurisdiction but Ikeja, despite being stationed at Second Rainbow. They questioned her husband’s presence at the hospital, citing a report about marijuana smoking in the area, though the hospital staff were not arrested.
When asked if her husband had been assaulted, she said, “I have not seen him to confirm if he was beaten, but I saw them beat another woman last night. She was also picked up from the area and is a hairstylist. I’m a pregnant woman, and they are not listening to me.”
Efforts to get a comment from the Lagos Police Command were unsuccessful. Repeated calls to the Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, went unanswered. A WhatsApp message sent to him received only a brief response: ‘Sorry I am unavailable right now.’