Published 7th Apr, 2021

By Ibrahim Adeyemi

Ibukun Ayodele left her boyfriend’s house to visit her sister at Owode area of Akure in Ondo State but she had not arrived at her destination when she fell victim to a raid by soldiers.

It was October 24, 2020, the soldiers and other security operatives had flooded the streets of Akure on the lookout for arsonists who had burned the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat in the state. On October 20, youth claiming to be #EndSARS protesters had caused violence in Akure.

Ibukun was a stranger in Akure. She was only there on a visit and had no idea of the ongoing crisis. She was raided and paraded as one of the #EndSARS protesters who caused mayhem and destruction in the state. She was then remanded at the Surulere Prison after being severely tortured by soldiers who handed her over to the police at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Akure.

As of October 2020, Ibukun was just 17 and was three months pregnant, according to Iyabo Ayodele, her mother. But as a result of the cruelty and torture by the soldiers, and the distress in the police cell and prison, Ibukun suffered a miscarriage that has left her in pains in detention.

“She is not being given any medical attention,” Balogun Segun, her boyfriend, told FIJ. “In fact, the foetus inside her hasn’t been flushed out as I talk to you. She’s dying in pains. She needs help.”

Ibukun had languished in prison for over five months but she is not alone in what many regard as an “illegal detention”. FIJ earlier reported how 17-year-old Kemisola Oguniyi was arrested and detained at the Surulere Prison, Akure, Ondo State, her parents saying the incident has left them spending all they have, without anythng to show for it.

This is AYODELE IBUKUN the other girl that was arrested alongside Kemi. She was tortured by @HQNigerianArmy till she lost her 3 months pregnancy. She is currently in Surulere Prison Akure for doing Nothing!!! Please RT aggressively till Kemi and Ibukun are released. #EndSARS pic.twitter.com/MWKvAhEsOj

— Ifemosu Michael Adewale ✊💡❤🦍 (@ifemosumichael) April 4, 2021

When contacted for comments, Tee-Leo Ikoro, the Ondo Police Public Relations Officer, said the matter was no longer in the hands of the police.

“I’m surprised people are saying that she’s detained by me. I’m just the Police PRO. What am I that I will detain somebody? I have explained to them but they don’t want to understand,” Ikoro told FIJ.

“If they have anything as evidence in her favour, there’s a tribunal going on here; let them go there and present their case. How can I detain an underage? I speak for the police in Ondo State.”

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