Public anger has intensified in Kwara State following the alleged detention of a 16-year-old girl by police in the Arandun area, in what residents described as an unlawful “arrest by proxy.”
The incident, which has gone viral on social media, was captured in multiple videos showing aggrieved residents storming a police station and demanding the immediate release of the teenager or her arraignment in court.
In the footage shared on TikTok by a user identified as #oba_adebayo_13, the crowd was seen confronting officers, insisting that the prolonged detention of the minor without formal charges was unjustifiable.
The girl’s mother, who spoke in Yoruba in one of the videos, claimed that the teenager in custody was not the original suspect being sought by the police.
According to her, officers had initially arrested her after failing to locate another of her children allegedly linked to an offence.
She said she was released after spending three days in custody and meeting bail conditions.
The woman further alleged that about a week later, police operatives returned and picked up her 16-year-old daughter, who has since remained in detention for three days.
Attempts to obtain an official response from the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The development has reignited concerns over the controversial practice of arresting relatives of suspects.
The Nigeria Police Force had, in 2024, publicly denounced “arrest by proxy,” describing it as unlawful and a violation of fundamental rights.