The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the investigation report issued by the Kwara State Police Command on the alleged assault of women who protested at the Government House over the kidnapping of their family members.
In a statement dated January 29, 2026, and signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the opposition party described the police report as misleading, insincere, and an attempt to cover up what it termed a clear case of violence against unarmed protesters.
The PDP faulted the police claim that a widely circulated video of the incident was digitally manipulated, insisting that the footage was authentic and recorded directly in front of the Kwara State Government House. According to the party, the police failed to provide any forensic evidence, expert analysis, timestamps, or verifiable technical details to support allegations of video splicing or manipulation.
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The party further noted that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had earlier issued a public statement condemning the attack and calling for the identification and prosecution of those responsible, a move the PDP said contradicts the police position that no such incident occurred.
“If nothing happened, what exactly did the Governor condemn?” the party asked.
The PDP also raised concerns over the presence of uniformed police officers at the scene, as shown in the video, questioning whether those officers were invited for questioning during the investigation. It expressed disappointment that despite the clear visibility of the alleged attackers’ faces and voices in the footage, no arrests have been made or announced.
Addressing the police claim that no victim had formally come forward, the party argued that the women involved were clearly identifiable in the video as protesters from Oke Ode, Agunjin, Agbeku, and neighbouring communities. It stressed that the responsibility of investigation rests with the police, not with victims who were allegedly beaten and dispersed while seeking government intervention.
The PDP further criticised the police for focusing on protest notification procedures rather than the alleged violence against unarmed women, noting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and that procedural issues do not justify physical assault.
Warning that the report could erode public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force, the party called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to take over the investigation. It also urged the National Human Rights Commission and civil society organisations to conduct independent probes into the incident.
“This matter is not about politics,” the statement said. “It is about women crying for their kidnapped loved ones and being assaulted for it.”
