A team of policemen attached to the Ikoyi Police Station has been accused of assaulting the worker of a clothing shop, Dash Me Stores at Muiz Banire Street, in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.
It was gathered that the officers who were led by one Inspector Funmi Odukoya carried out the act on the instruction of a dissatisfied client, Juwareto Okaisabor.
It was learnt that Okaisabor had bought a fairly used Fiendi designer bag in a charity auction put up by the store in October 2022.
A few weeks after the purchase, she returned the bag, claiming that it had an issue.
Following her complaint, the management of the store collected the purchased item and promised to refund her once it was sold.
Okaisabor was said to have left and later returned on Tuesday morning with armed policemen who invaded the shop, beat up the attendants and arrested them.
A facility manager, who identified himself simply as Emmanuel, said the police officers, who were not in uniform, punched and dragged the sales girl while Okaisabor watched from a distance.
Emmanuel said, “I was at the facility working with the fire service people when I saw a woman punching one of the sales girls in the clothing store. By the time I rushed down there, he was already sitting on top of the girl.
“I tried to stop her and asked who she was and she said she was a police officer. They were two officers and were also in mufti. But despite my intervention, she still held her and almost stripped her naked.
“The woman who brought them stood there and watched how they maltreated the sales girl. The girl had no business with them because she was not the one who transacted business with her. Despite that, they refused to listen to her explanation.
“I later discovered that she was trying to drag her into a vehicle. So, as the facility manager, I went to lock the gate. It was later that she called other four police officers who came with guns, forced their way in and took the sales girl away. They also locked the shop.”
Emmanuel added that the policemen locked the shop and handcuffed the sales girl after beating her.
Checks by PUNCH Metro revealed that the 20-year-old attendant was still detained at the police station as of Tuesday evening.
It was also gathered that the Divisional Police Officer, Kehinde Adedara, had introduced a disturbing twist to the case by accusing the attendant of assaulting the policewoman and her colleague.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for reaction as calls made to his phone number were not answered. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
