Angry protesters Friday morning invaded the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) demanding the attention of FCT Minister, Mohammade Bello, to the alleged victimization and rape of women by police in Abuja.
The protesters numbering more than 500 were led by human rights activist Dorothy Njemanze and Samson Itodo of the #NotTooYoungToRun movement, among personalities from different non governmental organisations.
They barricaded the main gate leading into and out of the FCTA, threatening not to bulge until they were addressed by the FCT minister Muhammad Musa Bello.
Security operatives, including the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, had a handful keeping the protesters at bay, even as they refused to shift ground.
No vehicle was allowed to enter or exit the FCTA for more than one hour, with work halted throughout the duration of the protest.
As at the time of filing this report, Blueprint reliable gathered that the FCT minister was trapped inside his office.
Bearing placards with inscriptions such as: “Fight insecurity, not women,” “Don’t rape us! Protect us,” “No sex without consent,” “Break the silence on police brutality,” “My dressing is my choice,” “Her today it could be me tomorrow,” “Stop raping sex workers,” “Women demand an end to police and AEBP violence,” “We need more women in the police force,” “Raise boys who respect women,” “Respect my existence or expect my resistance,” “To be a woman is not a crime,” “So long as women are not free, the people are not free,” among others, the protesters march from Eagles Square to different parts of the FCT .
Blueprint recall that on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the FCTA Joint Task Team, which comprises of the Department of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the Social Development Secretariat (SDS), stormed the premises of a popular nightclub, Caramelo Lounge and Suites, located at Utako district of Abuja and arrested 34 women.
Barely two weeks later, police raided different night clubs within the FCT and arrested more than sixty women.
Though the arrested women were allegedly raped while in detention, many of them were forced to plead guilty and granted bail after paying N3, 000 fine to a mobile court, with national and international human rights activists condemning the arrests and abuse of fundamental human rights of women.
