20th July, 2019
Amnesty International has reacted to the invitation of Timi Dakolo and his wife, Busola by the police for alleged falsehood following allegation of rape against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA.
The Police had on Saturday summoned singer, Timi Dakolo and his wife, Busola Dakolo over alleged falsehood, mischief and threat to life.
Reacting to the development, Amnesty International Nigeria, in series of tweets on its twitter handle said Intimidating victims of sexual abuse using by the police was a new low in Nigeria’s spate of impunity.
“Attempts to intimidate and harass Timi & Busola Dakolo by the Nigeria Police shows a disturbing pattern of how authorities respond to allegations of sexual abuse.
“In Feb. armed SARS officers arrested Maryam Awaisu of #ArewaMeToo in Kaduna and dragged her to Abuja, at the instance of a person widely accused of rape & sexual abuse.
“For too long, Nigeria’s women have been facing various kinds of sexual violence that seldom receives proper attention from the country’s law enforcement agencies. It is unacceptable that women seeking justice end up intimidated by Nigeria Police,” it said.
According to Amnesty International Nigeria, “it is unacceptable that women seeking justice for sexual abuse are subjected to arrest and intimidation, by a unit of police whose remit is armed robbery. We fear that these actions may prevent victims of sexual violence from pursuing justice.
“In the face of rising sexual abuse of women & girls across Nigeria; for how long will women be continuously subjected to intimidation and forced silence in the face of injustice? When will the injustice end?”