Step Rights Magazine Pralarg Magazine
By Step Rights Magazine
Sources: BBC Yoruba, Punch Newspapers
Fresh controversy has erupted in Kwara State after a family accused police officers in Arandun community of unlawfully arresting, detaining and assaulting a teenage girl for three days following the disappearance of her elder brother, who was reportedly wanted over an alleged theft case.
The allegations, first brought to public attention by BBC Yoruba, have sparked outrage online and renewed concerns over police conduct, treatment of minors and alleged abuse of power within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The teenager, identified as Folakemi Aransiola in some accounts and Esther Aransiola in others, said she was about 15 years old and preparing to turn 16 when she was allegedly arrested by officers attached to the Arandun Police Division in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
According to the family, the incident began after police launched a search for the girl’s brother, identified by authorities as 19-year-old Timothy Aransiola, who was allegedly linked to a housebreaking and theft case involving stolen iron materials.
The family claimed that after the young man fled the community, police officers first arrested his mother, Mrs. Folashade Aransiola, and detained her for three days before granting her bail reportedly set at ₦15,000.
However, when the suspect still failed to surrender, officers allegedly returned to the family house and arrested the teenage girl instead.
“The DPO Beat Me Mercilessly”
Speaking in an emotional interview aired by BBC Yoruba, the teenager alleged that the Divisional Police Officer personally participated in her arrest and assault.
“It was the DPO himself that came to arrest me,” she said.
“They took me to the police station in Arandun and the DPO beat me mercilessly. They detained me in the cell for three days. I could not eat, my chest was hurting me, and I kept begging them to have mercy because I am only 15 years old.”
The teenager further alleged that one of the officers involved had previously attempted to initiate a romantic relationship with her, but she refused.
“One of the police officers had asked me out before, but I refused. After that, he started insulting me and threatening that he would make sure I ended up in prison yard,” she claimed.
She said the alleged assault and harsh detention conditions left her physically weak and emotionally traumatised.
“My chest kept hurting me because of the smell inside the cell. I could not eat or do anything. Nigerians, please help us,” she pleaded.
Mother Alleges Police Targeted Family
Her mother, Mrs. Folashade Aransiola, accused the police of punishing family members for an offence allegedly linked to her son.
“I don’t know what my daughter did that they arrested her for,” she said.
“A girl who is not yet 16 years old was detained for three days. When I went there to plead for her release, they refused.”
She alleged that the teenager became seriously ill after the detention and later complained of ulcer pains and stomach complications.
“She had already become skinny and weak. Even when we took her to the hospital, there were issues before treatment could begin,” the mother said.
Another family member, Umar Oluwaseyifunmi, claimed doctors initially hesitated to treat the girl because she had just been released from police detention.
According to him, the family later moved her to another location in search of urgent medical attention.
The family also alleged that the owner of the allegedly stolen materials had indicated a willingness not to pursue the matter further, but police officers allegedly insisted the case must proceed to court.
“That was why my son ran away,” the mother alleged.
Police Deny Wrongdoing
The Kwara State Police Command has denied allegations of unlawful detention, assault or misconduct.
Reacting to the controversy, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the narrative circulating online was false and misleading.
According to the command, the teenager was not unlawfully arrested or detained contrary to legal procedures.
Police authorities stated that officers were investigating a reported case of housebreaking and theft allegedly involving the girl’s brother and claimed the teenager was questioned because investigators suspected she might have information about the suspect’s whereabouts.
The police further stated that she was “duly cautioned” and later released to her guardian on bond.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
The incident has generated widespread debate among rights advocates and legal observers, particularly over the detention of minors and the alleged arrest of relatives in place of criminal suspects.
Under Nigerian law, criminal liability is generally personal, and legal experts have repeatedly criticised the practice of detaining family members to compel suspects to surrender.
Human rights advocates have also raised concerns about allegations of physical assault, denial of medical care and the detention of minors in adult cell environments.
As public reactions continue to grow, calls are mounting for an independent investigation into the allegations and for authorities to clarify whether the teenager’s constitutional rights were violated during the operation.
The case remains under public scrutiny as conflicting accounts from the family and the police continue to emerge.
