How Nigeria Police Reacted When Journalist Posed As Rape Victim (Part 2)

After the stress and trauma the reporter went through at the Lugbe Police Division of the Federal Capital Territory just to report a case of rape, it was impossible to visit another police division same day.

So, the next day the reporter visited the Kubwa Police Division to see whether there would be a difference in the way a rape victim is treated by the police.  But as it turned out, the reporter found no difference and was even made to part with money before leaving the station.

How Can I Help You?

The Kubwa station was busy when the reporter got there at about 10:30 am. Only two police officers, a male and female, were attending to complainants so the reporter had to sit on a slab in front of the counter to wait for her turn.

A shop owner was heard complaining about his sales girl who had been stealing from his shop.

After about 30 minutes of waiting, a male officer walked up to the reporter to ask “how can i help you?”

So, right there the reporter began to narrate her rape story—how she was raped by a taxi driver and a male passenger around 7:30 pm the previous night at a location in Kubwa.

The reporter broke into tears while recounting her rape story and the officer began to console her until she calmed down and continued the narration.

 “Where did they take you to?,” the officer asked, after listening to her.

 “I just found myself around the NYSC camp where they dumped me,” the reporter explained, with more tears dropping on her face.

When the officer seemed done with her, he told the female officer to take the reporter to another officer in the station.

While walking the reporter to the person, the female officer started her own round of questioning. How many were they? Where did they do it? She seemed to be asking more out of curiosity than a desire to do something about it.

The reporter provided her all the answers while walking to the Statement Office. At the Statement Office, the female officer called out to another female officer,  saying “take her, rape case!” Then she left.

The female officer directed the reporter to go inside the statement room and wait for her.  There were two other female officers in the room. The reporter expected to be given a form to fill or somewhere to write a statement.

Police Curse Alleged Rapists

But when the officer returned to meet the reporter, a third round of interrogation started. “How did it happen and when?” the officer asked, forcing the reporter to recount the experience all over. She broke into tears for the second time while explaining what happened to her.

Obviously touched by the reporter’s tears, the female officers in the room began to calm her down and started raining curses on the alleged  rapists.

“It will never go well with them, this is a very serious case and it’s an experience that always happens though it’s a very bad experience. Your God will fight them and punish them all,” one said in obvious resignation.

Another officer echoed her, saying , “When some men die anyhow, people will begin to question God, not knowing that they are paying for their evil deeds. My dear, stop crying and calm yourself down so you can write your statement.”

Then the reporter was handed a statement book to write down what happened to her.

After writing out her statement, the reporter was taken to the family planning unit where they met an elderly woman who looked like a medical personnel.

The elderly woman told the police officer in the presence of the reporter that the victim would have to go to the hospital for “clean up and treatment.”

Then she told the officer: “Give her our medical report form to take to the hospital so they can respond to her immediately and also clean her up.”

Then the officer said, “ Oh, that form is with Rose, let me go and look for her.” The officer then asked the reporter to wait for her under a tree in the premises while she looked for the said Rose.

While waiting under the tree, the reporter saw the officer walk across the gate with a paper in hand, apparently to make a photocopy.

‘Go Naked And Tell God About The Rapists’

When the officer returned, the reporter was asked to come back to the counter where she met another officer, a male policeman, who also wanted to know how the rape happened.

After recounting the tale again, the officer asked if the rape happened in the bush or inside a house. He was told that it happened in a bush path.

Then the officer volunteered an advice:  “My daughter i know it’s not good to curse but let me tell you, when you get home, go naked in your room and pray to God about these men that put such pain on you and God that knows your heart will fight for you, except they were not born by a woman.”

Are they giving up on catching the criminals? It appeared that everyone that interrogated the reporter did not promise they could trace and arrest the alleged rapists. So what is the point of coming to report a crime if the victim cannot get justice? Or are the police also incapacitated when it comes to such crimes?

While the reporter was asking those questions in her mind, she heard the voice of the officer again, saying, “You see, I’m a prophet, they must surely pay for what they did.”

You Will Pay N2,000!

Then he took the reporter’s details again on a sheet of paper.

While putting the reporter’s details on the medical report form, the officer then tells her she would pay two thousand naira (N2,000) to enable the police file her case in court!

The reporter did not expect to pay any money, and had no cash on her. She asked if she could do a transfer and they told her to do the transfer.

Then someone pointed at a POS vendor just outside the police station, and the reporter was directed to go use it and bring the cash. After handing them the cash which was not receipted, a female officer volunteered to follow the reporter to the Kubwa General Hospital for the check-up.

But the reporter rejected the offer, with the excuse that she would have to quickly go back to the office to do some things before going to the hospital.

“Sir, if that’s the case let me just give her the form and then she will go to the hospital herself and bring back the report,” the female officer told her superior, who agreed to the arrangement.

The officer then asked the reporter when she would bring back the medical report and she promised to return the next day.

The reporter walked out of the station about two and half hours later, exhausted and wondering what could encourage a rape victim to report her travails to the police. The reporter did not see any arrangement to support a rape victim and ameliorate her trauma.

There is no organized system to get justice for the victim of rape.