- Threatens to commit suicide
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
A resident of Ondo in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Mrs Funmi Afolabi, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to help her find the whereabouts of her two children who were in the custody of the police when she was remanded in Olokuta Correctional Centre for murder.
The children, Segun Afolabi and Blessing Afolabi were infants when their mother was arrested by the police on November 13, 2010 and charged to court over the alleged murder.
Mrs Afolabi was arrested along with her husband, Mr Afolabi Oladipupo, and six others and were ordered to be remanded in prison at Olokuta, Akure.
It was learnt that a team of police detectives from Abuja had pleaded with the couple to release their children, whom they said would be handed over to a charity home for proper care pending the determination of their case.
The policemen told them that the children will be released if they are discharged and acquitted or if either one of them is free from the alleged murder case.
But unfortunately, since Mrs Funmi Afolabi regained her freedom when she was discharged and acquitted on November 21, 2019, she has been battling with police authority to rejoin her children but to no avail.
The traumatised woman who tried to kill herself at the court premises in Akure over the refusal of the Nigeria Police Authority to release her now teenage children who have been with them for the past 10 years when her case lasted, but for the intervention of some judiciary staff who prevented her from taking her life.
Counsel to the couple Mr Wale Omotoso, SAN, speaking to reporters at the court premises, said efforts made by him and some individuals to see that the children were released to the woman based on the promises made by the police authority in Abuja have proved abortive.
“Honestly, I don’t know what is wrong but I know, something is actually wrong somewhere. All efforts made to rejoin the two children with their mother out of the perceived police authority Charity Home could not yield any positive results,” Omotoso said.
‘This case is like beating a child and telling him or her not to cry. we will continue till the water that comes out from our eyes will turn to flood in the police compound, unless the Nigeria Police Authority do the needful by giving Caesar what belongs to Caesar. (that is giving this traumatised woman her children)
“Let me once again commend Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba for the good work he is doing and the credible leadership he has offered our nation since assumption of office. We are passionately pleading with him to use his good offices to help us find the whereabout how of these children who have been with the police authority for the past 10 years. I know justice will be done on this matter”, Omotoso pleaded.
However, the woman, Mrs Funmi Afolabi who also spoke with newsmen solicited for the help of members o. the public to ensure that her children are released to her, if not, she said “I am ready to commit suicide, if I don’t see my children.”
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami said she was not aware of the case but advised that the woman should use legal action to reclaim her children.