Residents of the Arandun community in Kwara State have expressed outrage after police detained a 16-year-old girl as a substitute for her brother, who is wanted for allegedly stealing a generator. The community members stormed the local police station over the weekend to protest the unlawful detention, which has lasted three days.
Community Protest Against Unlawful Detention
According to community sources, police operatives arrived at the family home seeking the girl's brother in connection with the alleged theft. When they failed to find the suspect, they took the teenager into custody instead. Protesters claimed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) has denied the girl food and visitation rights.
Mother's Plea for Help
The mother of the teenager recounted her own ordeal, stating that she was also arrested and held during the incident. Speaking in Yoruba, she said: “Nigerians, please come to my aid. Help me. My son committed a crime and the police came to arrest him. When they did not see him, they picked me up. I spent three days in police custody. They collected bail money from me. One week later, they came back and arrested my 16-year-old daughter. I have pleaded with them but they insist they will charge my daughter to court. She is not the one that committed the crime. She is just sixteen years old.”
Police Command Yet to Respond
The Kwara State Police Command has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. The community continues to demand the immediate release of the teenager and an end to what they describe as a practice of substituting innocent family members for alleged offenders.
