Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, has called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to order the release of a female police officer, Corporal Fauzziyah IsiakFauzziyar Isiak.
Isiak had on her Twitter handle said she had been detained following her decision to resign from the Nigeria Police Force.
The police authorities have, however, explained that she did not follow the due process in her bid to resign.
In a statement by its national chairman, Rufus Olusesan, and national publicity secretary, Chinedu Bosah, CDWR said her detention was an infringement on her right.
It also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and pro-masses organisations to intervene “in the ongoing attacks on the democratic rights of Fauzziyar Isiak so as to regain her freedom.”
The statement reads in full:
“Free Fauzziyar Isiak Unconditionally Now!
“It has been brought to our notice that former police officer, Corporal Fauzziyar Isiak has been arrested and detained because she activated her democratic right to resign from the Nigerian Police Force. According to Fauzziyar Isiak, she had shown interest to resign since last year but the Lagos State Police Command had consistently blocked her by dictatorially refusing to approve her resignation and issue her discharge certificate.
“Fauzziyar Isiak narrated her ordeal through her Twitter handle and the Lagos Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin has confirmed the undemocratic arrest and detention through his response by stating that the Police is not like the private sector and that until a policeman or policewoman gets his or her discharge certificate, he or she stays in the Police Force in spite of showing interest to resign. This bureaucracy amounts to undemocratically keeping an unwilling officer in the Force.
“Fauzziyar Isiak has been subjected to harassment and intimidation that culminated in her arrest and detention on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. CDWR strongly feels that the administrative process of discharging police officers who want to willingly resign has been weaponized to keep them in the police force against their will, something which is tantamount to imprisonment. Any rule that allows people to be kept by force in the Police Force is condemnable. In other words, it is despotic and a violation of fundamental human rights.
“Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) calls on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and Inspector General of Police to free Fauzziyar Isiak from captivity and issue her discharge certificate without further delay.
“We also demand that rank-and-file police officers be allowed to belong to a police union as a means to defend their democratic rights and better working conditions.
“We call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and pro-masses organisations to intervene in the ongoing attacks on the democratic rights of Fauzziyar Isiak so as to regain her freedom.”
