UK-Based Nigerian, Nemile Benjamin, Calls For Police Reforms After Harassment In Abuja

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

A UK-based Nigerian, Nemile Benjamin, has condemned the Nigerian Police Force, following an incident of harassment he experienced while visiting Abuja.

Benjamin, who had returned to the country to attend a family function, detailed his ordeal in a Facebook post.

Benjamin recounted that the incident occurred near the Jahi area in Abuja, when his cab was stopped at a police checkpoint.

While the driver was waved through without incident, Benjamin said the officers singled him out for questioning, focusing on his appearance.

“The first question they asked was, ‘What do you do for a living?’ I responded that I’m a business analyst and even handed over my ID card. Yet, they held onto my ID and claimed my phone was ‘a suspect,’” he said.

The situation escalated when the officers insisted on taking him to “Abattoir,” a notorious detention centre.

Sensing danger, Benjamin discreetly began recording the encounter and called for help.

In his Facebook post titled “My Encounter with the Nigerian Police,” Benjamin explained how he drew attention to the harassment by flagging down passersby and recounting his story. A growing crowd forced the officers to return his ID and let him go.

Reflecting on the incident, Benjamin described it as “shaken and disheartening,” highlighting systemic issues in the Nigerian Police Force.

“How is it that one cannot feel safe in their own country? This isn’t just my story—it’s the reality for so many young Nigerians. Judged by appearance, harassed without cause, and treated as suspects in our own land. It’s a shameful reality that urgently needs to change,” he wrote.

Benjamin called for urgent police reforms, emphasising the need for accountability and a shift in policing culture.

“Until then, I will continue to speak up, not just for myself but for others who may not feel they have the voice or the courage to do so. It’s time we demand better. We deserve better,” he concluded.

He told African Culture TV that he could not make video recordings or take photographs during the incident as the officers were “threatening.”

The incident has sparked comments about police harassment and profiling in Nigeria, with many expressing solidarity with Benjamin’s call for systemic change.