Abuja Raid: 'I bleed for my body for four days inside police cell'

"I dey on my monthly period wen security pipo arrest me, I no baff, I no get access to sanitary towel, I dey bleed for my body for four days inside police cell".

Dis na wetin Blessing Sam, one of di survivors of di Abuja raid wey happun for di Federal Capital Territory on April 2019 tok.

On April 26, 2019, a mob of ova 100 male state actors enta clubs, hotels, supermarkets and oda places wey dem dey do businesses for di FCT, come arrest some women ontop say dem dey find commercial sex workers to arrest.

On dat day dem arrest ova 100 women from different locations for Abuja and di tori bin make headline dat time.

As dat kain mass arrest of women bin don dey happun everitime, naim dem come name am "Abuja Raids."

How e happun

Blessing Sam wey be student of University of Abuja, dey among di ova 100 women wey a combined team of Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and oda security agencies arrest for her street wen she go supermarket to buy some items.

"All of a sudden military men bundle me for my street near my house, wen I go Hmedix to buy some stuff for myself"

"Dem cari us go Katampe Extension, from there to Wuse to arrest more pipo bifor dem cari us go Life Camp Police Station, we stay dia for 4 days.

Anoda survivor wey be Loveth Iyoko an Entrepreneur tok say dem arrest her for club.

"Dat night I dey hang out wit my guy for one club for Gwarimpa wen security pipo just enter cari me comot, go put me inside Hilux, I dey ask dem wetin happun, wetin I do, dem no tell me anytin".

Blessing Nnaji anoda UniAbuja student say na birthday party naim she go for club wey dem arrest her.

"Na only girls dem dey tell to stand up, I see buses wit Policemen, na girls full inside, dem tok say dem go cari us go jail."

'Dem torture us'

"I see one of di force man trying to sleep wit a lady so dat him go free her, dem sleep wit some ladies come free dem, we wey no gree make dem sleep wit us dem lock us inside cell". Blessing Sam tok.

Blessing Sam tok say na harrowing experience for her to dey unda her menstrual flow witout bathing for 4 days.

"I dey on my monthly period wen security pipo arrest me, I no baff, I no get access to sanitary towel, I dey bleed for my bodi for 4 days inside police cell..." Inspector Yellow pour pepper spray for our eyes."

"Dem arrest one woman wey just born two months old pikin, na for police cell dem bring di baby make she breast feed am." She add.

Blessing Nnaji wey be UniAbuja student tori no different from Blessing Sam own.

"Wen dem arrest me, I been dey sick, my period start dat Friday night, I stayed wit my period, no pad bifor dem transfer us to Life Camp Police station.

Dem add say di torture no be only physical but mental.

"We no eat for 3 days, dem bring small food for us but we no fit eat because some pipo dey for dia period and e dey smell, everiwia dey smell"

"How you wan take chop food for dat kind place, we no brush teeth, we no baff we no change cloth, notin notin for 4 days." Anoda victim Loveth Iyoko tok.

Di Judgement 

Afta dia ordeal, six of di victims decide to sue di police and di odas wey carry out di raid.

Afta two years of trial, on 5, August, 2021, Justice Evelyn Maha of di Federal High Court Abuja give judgement on August 5, 2021 in favour of di women.

As part of her judgement, di judge rule say di arrest of di six applicants witout any cause, di beating, molestation and dehumanising treatment, di detention of di applicants, and di stoping of di applicants from accessing representation, na violation of di applicants rights as guaranteed unda di Constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Di judge also award between two to four million naira in damages against di Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) di Inspector General of Police and Inspector Thomas Nzemekwe (Yellow) in favour of di six applicants. 

Di six women say dem dey happy with dis judgement but e no go complete until dem take eye see di compensation.

Di lawyer to di applicants Deji Ajare say na joyous moment for di six women wey been don dey lose hope and faith for di justice system for di kontri.

"We hope say dis judgement go serve as motivation to women wey dey oda states." E tok.

Wetin Human Rights Commission tok

Executive Secretary of di National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Tony Ojukwu say di judgement by Justice Evelyn Maha na victory for Women and Human Rights. 

"Abuja again don make history wit dis landmark court judgement on di notorious raids of women and girls in di streets of Abuja by di Abuja Environmental Protection Board and oda law enforcement agents"

Im add say di landmark judgement don vindicate di position of civil society groups and di Commission.

Im hope say di judgement go serve as wake up call to all law enforcement agents to stop all inhumane raids and activities wey dey violate human rights of citizens.