A petitioner at the ongoing public hearing by the Abia State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police brutality, Dr. Mrs. Anulika K. Nta has narrated how she had a miscarriage following harassment by the police while appearing before the panel.
According to Dr. Nta, the incident occurred on the 6th of October, 2020 and left the family which has been expecting the gift of a child grief-stricken.
Recounting her sad experience, Dr. Nta told the panel that some police officers came to her residence at Aguiyi Ironsi layout in Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state, looking for her husband whom she stated was not around when the police team stormed their residence.
She said that and took her explanations the police team took her to the Central Police Station (CPS) in Umuahia where she was told that she would have to answer some questions.
The petitioner said that she was told to write a statement, but she couldn’t since she knew nothing about why her husband was being wanted for and more so, she wasn’t the one being petitioned.
She claimed that apparently angered by her stance, she was forcefully pushed her into a cell in the CPS located on Bende road in Umuahia North Local government Area of the state.
According to Dr. Nta, the next day, she was ordered into an Abia Line vehicle which took her to Lagos State where she found out that her brother-in-law was the one who petitioned her husband.
Nta said her brother-in-law told the police officers that he wanted the husband whether dead or alive.
She said that started bleeding at the police station and was afterwards, given a sanitary pad.
She alleged that she was allowed to see a doctor after her bail of N250, 000 was perfected.
The petitioner said that a medical examiner confirmed that she was pregnant but referred her for a scan which showed that she has had a miscarriage.
Nta in her petition is demanding the sum of N20 million as compensation for the miscarriage and trauma caused on her by the arrest on proxy by the police.
However, the police respondent argued that the case didn’t happen in Abia State and should not be tagged to the Abia State Police Command.
The case was, however, adjourned till Friday, 13th November, 2020.