Date: 2017-10-18

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawan Ado, says the four police officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad accused of sexually harassing a lady, Kachi Zion, along the Pipeline area of Ilorin, have been detained.

Zion had through her Instagram page –@69bars –alleged that some SARS operatives accosted her at the Pipeline area in Ilorin at the weekend, accused her of prostitution and searched her.

She specifically accused one of the policemen of inserting his fingers into her private parts.

Ado, who spoke through the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, told our correspondent on the telephone in Ilorin on Tuesday that he was sad at the allegation.

Okasanmi said he had been in contact with the spokesperson for the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, SP Dolapo Badmos.

Badmos had earlier told journalists that the Zone 2 would liaise with the Kwara State CP over the incident.

The Kwara PPRO said after the CP got information about the allegation on the social media, he directed that Zion should be invited to the command to shed more light on her allegation.

He stated that the lady honoured the invitation on Tuesday and had made "useful statement."

Okasanmi said further that the four SARS men had been invited for interrogation.

He stated that although they denied the allegation, they had been detained.

He said, "Regardless of their denial, the command is still investigating them and will punish them according to the law if it is proved that they are guilty. They will, however, be released, if they are innocent.

"As the CP directed, I got in contact with the lady (Zion) and invited her to the command. The lady was with us this morning (Tuesday). We also invited the SARS men that were posted to the area on the day the incident took place. The team members denied the allegation, but we are still investigating the matter. The lady was satisfied with the action we have taken so far.

"We will get to the root of the matter. If actually the policemen committed the offence, they will be dealt with in accordance with the law. The telephone number of CP and my telephone number are all over the place. We asked the lady that rather than going on the social media, why did she not make effort to come to a police station and report the matter because we would gone after the SARS officers immediately.

"The officers are now in detention."