The Elegant Nurses Forum (ENF) has accused the Osun State Police Command of trying to silence Nurse Atinuke Shotuminu after she was allegedly abducted and detained by police officers.
The nurses’ organisation said Shotuminu and her family were pressured to drop the matter instead of getting a proper investigation into what happened.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the ENF said it received new information from family members and one of Shotuminu’s classmates.
According to the group, Shotuminu’s family returned to Osogbo after allegedly coming under pressure, especially through her elderly grandfather.
The ENF said the family was taken to the Area Commander’s office at Oke-Sia, where Shotuminu was reportedly questioned about the publication of the incident.
The nurse allegedly said she informed her colleagues and relevant organisations because she believed she had been cheated and unlawfully detained.
The group also claimed that Adeleke Abdul-lateef Temitope, whom it identified as the alleged romance scam suspect linked to the matter, was at the Area Command when Shotuminu and her family arrived.
The ENF alleged that the Area Commander told Adeleke to refund ₦250,000 to Shotuminu. The money was said to be part of what was allegedly collected from her family while they tried to resolve the matter.
The organisation said the money was refunded, but alleged that police officers later appealed to the family to forget about the remaining amount and stop pursuing the case.
Inside Osun state:
Police Arrest Five Suspected Robbers, Recover AK-47, 13 Rounds of Ammunition in osun
Police Warn Against Forceful Takeover of Osun Local Government Councils
Osun Election: APC Campaign DG’s Nephew shots dead
It also claimed that an undertaking was prepared for the parties to sign in an effort to close the matter.
More importantly, the nurses alleged that Shotuminu was told not to speak publicly about the incident again or allow any further report to be published.
The parties were later reportedly taken to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where the Area Commander told the CP that the matter had been resolved.
However, the ENF rejected the reported resolution, saying it appeared the focus was on silencing Shotuminu instead of investigating the allegations and finding out whether any wrongdoing took place.
The group called for an independent investigation into the alleged abduction and detention of the nurse, as well as the conduct of all the officers involved.
It also called for an investigation into the money allegedly collected from Shotuminu and her family, including who collected it, how much was involved, why it was paid and how the money was handled.
The ENF demanded an apology from the Osun State Police Command and assurances that Shotuminu would not be harassed, threatened, detained or victimised for speaking about her experience.
The organisation also called for the alleged romance scam case involving Adeleke to be properly investigated, stressing that a refund should not automatically end the matter.
The nurses’ forum urged the Nigeria Police Force and relevant oversight bodies to step in, insisting that any genuine resolution must establish the facts, protect the alleged victim and ensure accountability if wrongdoing is found.
The group warned that the matter should not be allowed to disappear through private undertakings or informal settlements, stressing that seeking peace should not mean giving up justice.
About the Author
