EXCLUSIVE: Woman Detained By Police In Abuja After Rejecting Sexual Advances From Ubulu-Uku Traditional Official

According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, Onwordi allegedly propositioned the woman, offering her ₦5,000,000 to procure explicit recordings of other women known to her.

A woman identified as Hajia Ngozi is currently being held at the Garki Police Station in Abuja, reportedly on the directive and influence of Hon. Asika James Onwordi, the Traditional Prime Minister of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Delta State, after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.

According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, Onwordi allegedly propositioned the woman, offering her ₦5,000,000 to procure explicit recordings of other women known to her.

However, she declined the request on the grounds that she is a married woman, leading to a dispute that later escalated into alleged intimidation and misuse of police powers.

Instead of detaining the politician over allegations of sexual harassment, coercion, inducement, and abuse of office, Ngozi herself was arrested and has remained in custody under the supervision of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), identified as Ahmodu Mohammed.

In one of the voice notes obtained by SaharaReporters, Ngozi and Onwordi were heard arguing inside Garki Police Station.

The woman accused him of physically assaulting her and forcefully taking her phone.

“See the way he was laying curses on me in front of you. You stole my phone, you beat me, and you called me a childless woman. They saw how you seized my phone. You are hitting me, you even arrested me,” she said in one of the recordings.

She also questioned why officers were asking her to refund money she said was tied to illicit demands.

“Police, you are telling me to send the money back; what money? Do you know what the money is meant for? What is the money meant for? When I came here, I asked whether there was any official complaint about why I was arrested. Look at how he was harassing me even in front of your office,” she said.

Responding in the same recording, Onwordi dismissed her claims and demeaned her, saying, “Is it my fault that you cannot carry a pregnancy? Oh, go and sit down. Officers, see this woman, she’s harassing me. She’s hitting me."

When SaharaReporters contacted the Garki DPO, Ahmodu Mohammed, he neither answered his calls nor responded to the message sent to him.

Meanwhile, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has petitioned the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the Nigeria Police Force, calling the arrest unlawful and alleging police complicity.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, RULAAC described the case as disturbing and symptomatic of the ongoing misuse of the police for private influence and debt-recovery disputes.

The group warned that Ngozi’s continued detention suggests gross abuse of police authority, extortion, gender-based harassment, and violation of constitutional rights.

The statement read, "According to credible information received by RULAAC, Hon. Asika James Onwordi allegedly made sexual advances towards the said woman, which she rejected as a married woman.

“He thereafter allegedly induced her with the sum of ₦5,000,000 to procure sex tapes of other women known to her.

"A dispute subsequently arose, and Hon. Onwordi is now allegedly using his influence to coerce, intimidate, and criminalize a civil/private issue, with the sole objective of recovering the said ₦5 million through the use of the police.

"As a result, the woman has been arrested and is currently detained at Garki Police Station in circumstances that suggest gross abuse of police powers, extortion, and unlawful detention.”

The group urged the CRU to immediately intervene, stating that the DPO of Garki Police Station can be reached for verification.

However, RULAAC respectfully requests that the CRU urgently intervene to secure the immediate release of Hajia Ngozi from unlawful custody.

It also called for an investigation into the role of officers at Garki Police Station in facilitating this abuse of power.

"Query and discipline any officer found culpable of aiding this improper arrest and detention. Investigate the conduct of Hon. Asika James Onwordi for alleged sexual harassment, coercion, inducement, and misuse of police apparatus,” the organisation.

"Ensure that the Nigeria Police Force is not used as a tool for intimidation, sexual exploitation, or debt recovery."

RULAAC emphasised that the Nigeria Police Force must cease being used as a debt-recovery agency or tool for intimidation and sexual exploitation.

The rights group said it is prepared to cooperate fully with the CRU to ensure justice is served.