In a distressing account, Lagos-based businesswoman Princess Bunmi Blessing has detailed the severe mistreatment and wrongful imprisonment she and her eight-year-old daughter endured at the hands of Lagos police officers.
Blessing, a mother of two and a merchant in clothing materials and jewelry, described her traumatic experience while attempting to reclaim her property from tenant Hajara Inusa, an alleged retired police officer. Inusa had reportedly vowed to seize Blessing’s property by any means necessary.
The conflict began in 2019 when Blessing rented eight out of ten shops at her property on Texaco Estate, Ikorodu, to Inusa for N736,000 over two years. Inusa expressed interest in purchasing the property outright for N25 million, an offer Blessing declined. This rejection, Blessing says, triggered four years of relentless harassment.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Blessing received a call that Inusa claimed ownership of her property and had even built structures on an undeveloped section. Despite denying any sale, Blessing found the allegations true upon inspection and demanded Inusa remove the structures and vacate upon lease expiration in 2021. Inusa apologized, claiming she anticipated Blessing would sell.
When Blessing reported the matter to the police, she found no support. Inusa's influence, allegedly linked to her self-proclaimed status as a police officer and wife of a former Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar, rendered law enforcement unresponsive.
The ordeal escalated on December 9, 2021, when purported police officers forcefully dragged Blessing from her shop, confiscating N300,000 and her iPhone. Neighbors intervened, identifying the assailants as thugs, not police officers. They were connected to Abbas Bawa, the Area Commander at Ijede Police Station.
Attempts to report her assault and robbery led Blessing to further abuse. She encountered Inusa and her associates at the police station, where she was falsely accused of assaulting officers. Blessing was then handcuffed, beaten, stripped, and tortured with electric shocks. Inusa, brandishing a pistol, threatened to kill her.
Despite her family’s pleas, Blessing was transferred to an uncompleted building and later to Panti's State Criminal Investigation Department. She was accused of theft and property damage but found innocent when officers verified her tenant’s false claims. The matter was dismissed, leaving Blessing emotionally scarred.
In subsequent months, Blessing faced continued assaults, including an incident involving her daughter, both detained at Alagbon Police Station in Ikoyi. Again, they were released after verification disproved Inusa's claims.
Determined to reclaim her life and property, Blessing filed petitions with human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and sought justice through the courts. However, Inusa evaded court sessions, leading to the case's dismissal. A repossession order favored Blessing, but Inusa retaliated by vandalizing the property.
Despite multiple police reports and petitions, Inusa, identified as the mastermind by arrested accomplices, remained at large, fleeing to Abuja. Further complicating matters, Inusa filed a defamation lawsuit against Blessing in Abuja, resulting in another traumatic detention.
A recent intervention by the Force Criminal Investigation Department finally led to Inusa's arrest and transfer to Lagos. However, Blessing fears the case may still be buried due to Inusa’s powerful connections.
"I want Nigerians and the media to help me get justice. I want my property back from this terror of a woman. I want my life back. I still feel unsafe," she pleaded.
Efforts to reach Inusa and her partner for their side of the story were unsuccessful. Lagos State Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin and Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi claimed no knowledge of the matter.
As Blessing continues her fight for justice, her harrowing story underscores the challenges faced by ordinary citizens against powerful adversaries in Nigeria.
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