Assault of officer: Spurious allegations unnecessary, police tell Abiola’s widow

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says Zainab-Duke Abiola, a widow of the late MKO Abiola, has a case to answer in case over the alleged assault of Teju Moses, her orderly.

Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

BACKGROUND

In September 2022, the police arrested Zainab and her domestic staff for allegedly brutalising her orderly, who is a police inspector.

She was arrested after pictures showing a female police officer with a bruised face appeared on social media.

Subsequently, Zainab and her domestic staff were arraigned before a magistrate court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja over “criminal conspiracy, causing criminal hurt without provocation, attempt to commit culpable homicide and intentional insult to cause a breach of trust”.

Recently, Zainab instituted a N100 billion defamation suit against the NPF and Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (NPF).

In the suit filed before a federal high court in Abuja, Zainab alleged that the police framed her.

“Such an incident never took place in my house as there are CCTV cameras all over the street surroundings to debunk the claim,” she said in the suit.

‘RECENT MEDIA ROW UNNECESSARY’

In the statement, the police said the recent allegations made by Zainab are “spurious and unnecessary” and that the next hearing of case has been scheduled for February 1 at high court 16, Zuba, Abuja.

“The suspects have been charged with the offences of criminal conspiracy, attempt to commit culpable homicide, voluntarily causing hurt without provocation, and assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty amongst others,” the statement reads.

“The recent media row by the suspect is therefore unnecessary as the matter has not been concluded in court.

“It is similarly pertinent to note that the spurious allegations recently made in the news hold no water.

“The Nigeria Police reposes confidence in the judiciary believing that the Courts will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is done in the extant case.”