The late politician’s wife denied assaulting the officer who she described as her former police orderly.
Zainab Duke-Abiola, one of the widows of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, who allegedly ordered her workers to beat her orderly, Inspector Teju Moses has claimed that the Nigeria Police Force authorities are framing her up.
A video clip showing the female officer in uniform bleeding, seated on the floor had gone viral since Wednesday night.
“She told her boys to kill me,” Moses said incoherently as she spoke to her direct boss on the phone.
Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a statement on Thursday said the Inspector-general of Police, Usman Baba, had ordered the prosecution of the human rights activist and her domestic staff members, comprising Rebecca Enechido.
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Friday, the late politician’s wife denied assaulting the officer who she described as her former police orderly.
According to her, being the Chief Legal Consultant of the Nigeria Police Force, orderlies have always been attached to her to protect her against dangerous criminals that the police are prosecuting.
“The truth is that I, Professor Zainab Abiola, widow of Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of June 12 presidential election have been rendering pro-bono services to the Nigeria Police Force free of charge for over 15 years following her appointment as legal representative of the security agency.
“Based on my professional excellence, the police promoted me and appointed me as the Chief Legal Consultant (CLC). As of today, Professor Abiola is the only Chief Legal Consultant of the Nigerian Police Force.
“Orderlies have always been attached to me to protect me against dangerous criminals that the police are prosecuting. Even the present IGP, Alkali Baba approved and revalidated some new orderlies for me as recently as 29th April 2022.
“So, for IGP Alkali Usman to deny any knowledge of the CLC of the police is irresponsible, discrimination, racism, tribalism, ethnicism, bureaucratic corruption and a mischievous attempt to deceive the public. On some occasions, the police would officially approve logistics for my staff to handle office administrative works like photocopying, typing which are yet to be reimbursed.”
Zainab added she became an enemy of the current Inspector General of Police because of her support for #EndSARS victims.
“The IGP was very angry, he reduced the number of cases assigned to me because of my office at the legal department of the police. My office is there, did you not see my letterhead paper? If they (police) have another Chief Legal Consultant in this Nigeria, let them bring the person out. It’s no other person but me, even the senior lawyers listen to me, so I give recommendations.
“That was how I recommended that all these lopsided appointments of Christians by the IGP is wrong, I wrote the President. Intelligent police officers, you decided to retire them, you need these people to fight insecurity. That’s me, thank God that this thing happened, who will know I have been rendering pro bono services to the Nigeria Police Force for years?
“’You said you were supporting #EndSARS people and you called yourself our Chief Legal Consultant. Why would you be supporting those thugs, those criminals, those Lagos boys, those Tinubu’s boys’. Yes, that’s what the IGP said.
“It appeared you are working and supporting Tinubu. Openly, he said so in his office. What do you think? You supporting Tinubu. I kept quiet, I didn’t reply him (IGP), he said so in his office. I think his office has a camera, let them bring the recording of that meeting out.
“Is it wrong to be against police brutality, discrimination against innocent citizens, misuse of guns against Nigerians? I have not done anything, I don’t assault people, my hand is for healing, for good things, it’s not in my character. They were just looking for a way to embarrass me.
“It started after I came back from the United States of America and actually expressed support for #EndSARS freedom fighters openly. The IGP, Alkali Baba Usman was not happy.
“That was where his sons, one Engineer Ibrahim stepped in and offered to take me to see the IGP for a fee. But I refused to pay any bribe and that IGP's son, Engineer Ibrahim took offence.
“He, Ibrahim now brought his girlfriend, one miss Zara to us. When it was discovered that the girlfriend of the IGP's son has sickle cell disease, my firm offered to help but Ibrahim travelled out.
“On his return, the IGPs son kept visiting our office and not being able to get any headway, he turned 360 degrees and became an enemy and very hostile. Nobody beat up any orderly. It is not in my character.”
She added that the officer allegedly assaulted wasn’t attached at the time of the alleged offence.
“I rejected her posting after realising she’s been on a peacekeeping mission to several countries and should be rehabilitated first due to her mental health.
“But she came back that particular night. I wasn’t even the one who attended to her, so how could I have given the order that she should be assaulted?”