Women’s Rights Group Decries Attack on Female Cops

Women’s advocacy group, HerRights Watch, has accused online platform, SaharaReporters, of demonising women in the Nigeria Police Force, especially those serving in the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The group described alleged that a story published by SaharaReporters sought to scandalise female officers, especially ACP Bukola Kuti and DSP David Victoria, as […]

Women’s advocacy group, HerRights Watch, has accused online platform, SaharaReporters, of demonising women in the Nigeria Police Force, especially those serving in the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

The group described alleged that a story published by SaharaReporters sought to scandalise female officers, especially ACP Bukola Kuti and DSP David Victoria, as “a shameless, sexist smear built on malicious gossip rather than credible journalism.”

The Convener of HerRights Watch, Onyinye Eze, in a strongly worded statement, expressed dismay over the publication, saying the platform turned what is “essentially an institutional issue of police promotions, which is even overwhelmingly skewed towards male officers, into a personal attack on a few women who have distinguished themselves in service just because he seeks to impress his paymasters who have enlisted him to attack the IGP consistently”.

“Is SaharaReporters suggesting that women have no right to serve in sensitive positions or be recognised for their exceptional work and contributions to society? Is the platform implying that a woman’s competence and progress can only come through illicit means? That line of thinking is not only deeply offensive but also regressive and dangerous.

“The criteria for accelerated promotion are well-established; for instance, any officer who wins the Police Service Merit Award on two occasions automatically qualifies. The lady in question followed the same process because she merited it. Furthermore, contrary to the misleading claims in the article, she has been in service for well over 10 years. Can anyone reasonably claim that the same IGP has been responsible for all her promotions over the years when she has only worked with him for less than two years?

“As further proof of malicious intent, the report falsely alleged that the promotion list was skewed in favour of officers from the South West. However, a thorough review of the list shows that officers from the North Central were, in fact, the top beneficiaries of the exercise.”

Eze pointed out that although the majority of officers promoted by the Police Service Commission in the referenced list were men, the medium chose to build its entire narrative around a handful of women, dragging their names in the mud without presenting verifiable facts.

She further challenged the credibility of the “sources” relied on by SaharaReporters.

“You cannot claim to be fighting for justice or accountability when your own report is a textbook example of character assassination and gender profiling.”

Eze called on Nigerians to reject the attempt to turn women into scapegoats in institutional controversies, adding that if the promotions in the Nigeria Police Force are flawed, the process can be addressed without maligning hardworking and deserving women who are caught in the web.