I Am Not The First Person He Has Slept With At Gunpoint, But I Am Determined To Be The Last- Victim of sexual abuse speaks out

The Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Ogudu Police Station in Lagos State, Owolabi Akinlolu, who faced allegations of raping a 17-year-old girl in his office, was reportedly retired quietly before his case was taken to court on Tuesday.

This outcome has disappointed rights activists, the traumatized survivor, and her family, who had hoped that the suspect would be dismissed and prosecuted once the investigation was completed.

In July 2024, PUNCH Metro reported that the survivor’s mother, Mrs. Aramide Olupona, accused the police of trying to cover up the incident, stating that Akinlolu’s wife and family had urged her to withdraw the charges, claiming he was set to retire in December.

Sources close to the investigation alleged that the Nigeria Police Force intentionally delayed both the inquiry and the suspect’s court appearance until after his planned retirement in December 2024, purportedly to provide him with an easier exit.

Akinlolu reportedly called the teenager to his office on June 29, 2024, under the pretense of informing her that the individual who had stolen her phone two weeks prior had been caught.

However, once she arrived at the police station, the senior officer allegedly locked his office door and assaulted her.

In a Wednesday interview with PUNCH Metro, a source familiar with the investigation claimed that the police “intentionally allowed him to retire before starting his prosecution.”

The source also indicated that the suspect was not removed from the police force, explaining that the officers in Lagos handling the case contended that “it was outside the state command’s jurisdiction since the suspect was a senior officer.”

He stated, “They forwarded the case to the Force headquarters in Abuja. It was Abuja that provided instructions for the investigation.

Now, they are claiming that the investigation was not completed before December, asserting that it was finished after December,” the insider added.

A family member of the survivor (name withheld) made a similar allegation before Magistrate O.O. Fagboun, who ordered the suspect to be held at the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre on Tuesday.

Additionally, PUNCH Metro noted that, unlike Police Inspector Dikko Usman, a suspect in the murder of Lagos Chief Jubril Fatai, who was referred to as an “ex-inspector,” Akinlolu was neither identified by his DSP rank nor labeled as a former police officer.

Another reliable source familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, reported that the suspect allegedly aimed a gun at the survivor’s head before committing the crime, and criticized the police for not including this detail in the charges.

A document obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, which includes the survivor’s testimony, supported this earlier assertion.

“We should be looking at charges of attempted murder or threats to life since the man reportedly assaulted the girl at gunpoint. It seems the police have intentionally chosen to go easy on one of their own,” the source expressed.

Our correspondent also observed that this information was absent from the charges against the suspect.

At the time of this report, there had been no response regarding Akinlolu’s alleged retirement after our correspondent reached out to Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi and Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin on Wednesday, but no reply had been received.

In the meantime, during an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, the survivor shared that her “state of mind has not been the best.”

“I am always afraid, particularly when I see police officers. Even when I’m simply walking down the street and notice them, I feel a sense of terror,” she shared with our reporter.

The survivor expressed sorrow over how the traumatic event had affected her friendships, stating, “We no longer trust the police. There’s nothing that could convince us to seek their help now.”

She also mentioned that her family, particularly her mother, continues to grapple with the trauma.

“I’m not the first person he’s done this to, but I am determined to be the last. I hope we get the justice we deserve and that I can find peace within myself,” in an interview on Tuesday, the survivor shared this information with our correspondent.