Afrigather The household of a blogger, Miss Dorcas Adeyinka, who was reportedly arrested on Wednesday for alleged cyberbullying and cyberstalking, has accused the Lagos State Police Command of finishing up a lopsided and biased probe.
They advised PUNCH Metro that Adeyinka had been subjected to varied threats to life, cyberstalking, and bullying by some suspected Nigerian bloggers who use completely different social media accounts to name-call and disgrace her.
PUNCH Metro stories {that a} invoice searching for “to mandate Web service suppliers to dam entry to supplies depicting violent conduct, regulate unlawful or restricted content material regardless of the host, and take away intimating photos and movies shared on-line that negatively impression kids,” handed the second studying on the Home of Representatives final Thursday.
Nonetheless, the household appealed to the drive to not take sides within the matter as they alleged that the identical individuals suspected to be liable for the blogger’s ordeals on social media have been the identical individuals suspected to be allegedly utilizing the police to complete the blackmailing job they may not end on-line.
The mom of the blogger, Mrs Yinka Badmus, mentioned in a phone interview with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, “My daughter was by no means invited by the police for any crime earlier than she was detained. She went to the police station to file a criticism a couple of visitors difficulty when some individuals allegedly walked into the station with different policemen who wished to arrest her.
“These are the identical individuals who had been bullying my daughter on Fb and different social media. No one invited my daughter to the police station. She went to the police station to complain a couple of girl who smashed her automotive. We have been shocked once they began saying that some individuals accused my daughter of insulting the President and Inspector Basic of Police.”
Corroborating Badmus’ declare, the blogger’s cousin, Toyin Adeyinka, alleged that another bloggers have been attempting to make use of the police to drive her cousin to silence for standing up for the reality.
She mentioned, “She has been a sufferer of cyberbullying and stalking for a very long time by some Nigerian bloggers. Her nudity was even shared on social media sooner or later, which the UK police investigated.
“One particular person continues to be within the UK jail. There’s a gang-up towards Adeyinka. They’re utilizing the Nigeria Police to harass her. Our household was bullied on social media. These bloggers selected to make use of the Nigeria Police as a result of Adeyinka stood up towards their threats and bullies.
“These individuals have been even bragging on social media that that they had the Nigeria Police of their pockets. She had been referred to as a number of names on social media. Adeyinka has been residing within the UK since age three.
“Whereas she was writing an announcement on the station, a few of these individuals recorded her, snapped her title the place it was pasted on the station, and began sharing it on social media to snide her. This can be a conspiracy to punish Dorcas (Adeyinka) for running a blog the reality.”
In a Fb put up by @Layo Harry Cussed, a 14-second video of Adeyinka writing an announcement inside what was suspected to be a police station was seen by our correspondent, with an accompanying voice partly saying, “That is Dorcas Adeyinka in a Nigerian jail. She has been jailed. She has been jailed.”
In one other 50-second video shared @Asipa Tubosun Martins Fb web page seen by PUNCH Metro on Sunday, the UK-based Nigerian blogger was sighted in a brawl with one different girl exterior a store purportedly owned by one of many bloggers.
Reacting to the arrest, the spokesperson for the state command, Benjamin Hundeyin, acknowledged on his X deal with on Saturday that the blogger’s detention, together with Folake Adekoya and a male, Sikiru Ayinde, bordered on the alleged crime.
He added that the police had carried out a preliminary investigation and {that a} court docket remand order had been obtained for the suspects till January 10, 2024.
He partly mentioned, “The police, having carried out preliminary investigations and establishing these instances towards the suspects, arrested the suspects for a consolidation and harmonisation of the investigations for doable prosecution.”
When contacted by our correspondent, on Monday, the command spokesperson didn’t choose up his cell phone. The textual content message despatched to him had but to obtain any response as of the time this report was filed.
