Nigerian Police Plot To Release Three Bayelsa Children To Family Which Brutalised Them For Alleged Witchcraft

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, one of the women handling the case narrated the disturbing developments after leaving the police station on Monday.

Fresh allegations of police compromise have emerged in Bayelsa State as activists working to protect three children brutally assaulted by their father, a serving police inspector, accuse officers of attempting to hand the victims back to the same family linked to their abuse.

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, one of the women handling the case narrated the disturbing developments after leaving the police station on Monday.

“Good afternoon everyone, we’re just leaving the police station now and it’s been a difficult one,” she said.

“We’ve met the ACP admin who said he’s waiting for his boss, the commissioner, to come and that the children… they will need to ask the children who they will be comfortable with. So many issues are coming from this case, you won’t believe it.”

She said she was shocked when the children’s mother, who allegedly abandoned them throughout the period of abuse, suddenly arrived at the station demanding custody.

“There’s two of the girls there, their mother has just come now because she wants the children and we’re surprised to see them… we were surprised to see the mother… where has the mother been all through when these children have been with this abusive father,” she stated.

The woman stressed that volunteers had already secured accommodation and welfare support for the rescued children, insisting the state must ensure they are not returned to unsafe hands.

“We have already paid for accommodation… there are volunteers to give them accommodation and all of that… so Ministry (of) Women Affairs has been so supportive… they’ve written to the police and I’m tired,” she said.

A source who spoke with SaharaReporters confirmed that the woman in the video is one of the coordinators working to ensure the children’s protection.

She said they were expected to meet police again on Tuesday “to finalise and take the children away”.

However, the source alleged that the police had “compromised” and were attempting to release the children to an uncle.

“We’ve been informed that the police have compromised and want to release the kids to the uncle. We urge them not to release the children to the family for now but hand them over to the Ministry for Women Affairs, FIDA and AfAW for care and rehabilitation,” the source said.

The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), identified as Dinkpa, was also accused of “conniving with the uncle and other relatives to take the children away.”

The scandal began after widespread outrage in Yenagoa over the brutalisation of three siblings by their father, Inspector Sunday Idey of the Anti-Cultism Unit, who allegedly accused them of witchcraft and subjected them to violent assault.

Neighbours alerted the state security patrol unit, Door Akpor, who rescued the severely injured children and rushed them to the hospital.

The case immediately drew the attention of major gender-rights groups, including the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) led by Mrs Boma Toney Miebai; the National Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence led by Dr Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry; and the Do Foundation represented by Barr. Dianna Iluma Pius.

The Ministry of Women Affairs also intervened, visiting both the police station and the hospital.

Mrs Miebai said the groups had incidented the case at the Akenfa Police Station and were pushing for charges of attempted murder and criminal assault.

Dr Ogbise earlier commended the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, for swiftly ordering the arrest of the accused officer and transferring the case to police headquarters.