Abuja lawyer arrested for beating police

How it happened: In a video clip that went viral on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, the officer can be seen in police uniform, bleeding from an injury on her head, while seated on the floor and begging to be taken to the hospital for medical attention.

The caption on the video suggested that the officer was assaulted by the human rights activist after she refused to carry out some domestic chores assigned to her.

This development triggered anger among many Nigerians who didn’t only condemn the action, but also call for the arrest and prosecution of the activist.

Police swing into action: On Thursday, September 22, 2022, the police announced that the lawyer alongside her housemaid who also allegedly took part in the act have been arrested.

Confirming this in a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, added that the police have launched a manhunt for a fleeing domestic worker complicit in the assault.

He said the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, strongly condemned the assault and directed that suspects should be duly prosecuted.

Aladejobi also revealed that the IGP who expressed disappointment that someone who claims to be an advocate for human rights could violate the right of another person.

Baba therefore ordered that all police personnel attached to the Professor should be withdrawn forthwith.

The statement read: “The IGP strongly condemned the grievous assault of a female Police Officer, Inspector Teju Moses, by her principal who is a legal practitioner and human rights activist, Prof. Zainab Duke Abiola and her domestic staff comprising the housemaid, one Rebecca Enechido and a male suspect currently at large.

“Zainab Duke, an Mbaise born activist, grievously assaulted her orderly in company of some accomplices on Tuesday 20th September, 2022 at her residence in Garki, Abuja, due to the refusal of the orderly to breach professional ethics by carrying out menial and domestic chores at her house.

“The IGP has directed the express prosecution of the arrested suspects who are currently in police custody, as the preliminary investigation shows overwhelming evidence of culpability on the part of the Professor and her domestic staff.

“The IGP has equally tasked the investigative team to ensure that the fleeing suspect is arrested and made to face the wrath of the law. It is pertinent to clarify that the suspect, Prof. Zainab, who name-drops the IGP, his family members, and other officers in the top hierarchy of the Force has no acquaintance with the police in any form as erroneously peddled on social media.”