Delta Police Accused of Brutalising, Detaining Woman Over Condom Possession

Police officers attached to the Asaba Area Command of the Delta State Police Command have been accused of assaulting and detaining a 28-year-old woman for several days after allegedly finding a condom in her bag.

The woman, identified as Miss Chinenye Nnaji from Enugu State, was reportedly arrested on Saturday night, December 20, 2025, at about 11:00 p.m. at Pinnacle Junction in Asaba. Witnesses said she was eating at the location when officers arrived in a marked police Sienna vehicle and began arresting people indiscriminately.

A witness to the arrest, who requested anonymity, said Miss Nnaji was searched, dragged into the police vehicle, and taken to the Asaba Area Command alongside other women and young men picked up in the area.

According to the witness, the arrest followed the discovery of a condom in Miss Nnaji’s bag. The source alleged that officers verbally abused her, physically assaulted her, and detained her under degrading conditions.

“She was treated in a very cruel manner,” the witness said. “She was locked in a private room with other detainees and left there for days without food or water. The entire incident was humiliating and inhuman.”

The source further alleged that officers at the Asaba Area Command routinely arrest young people at night and demand large sums of money for their release, claiming that bail fees range between N150,000 and N250,000, depending on the individual.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, Miss Nnaji broke down in tears as she recounted her experience. She said she sells women’s hair products in Asaba and was returning home from work when she stopped to buy food.

“As I was eating, police officers came to my table, searched me, and found a condom,” she said. “They immediately started insulting me, calling me a prostitute and other names. That was the only reason they gave for arresting me.”

She alleged that the officers, led by one identified as Chidi, took her and two other women to the Area Command, where they were locked in a room and denied food and water for three days.

Miss Nnaji called for an investigation into the activities of the Asaba Area Command, alleging that senior officers were aware of and supported the actions of their subordinates.

“This should not happen to anyone,” she said. “People are arrested without committing any offence known to law, detained, and forced to pay money to regain their freedom.”

Efforts to reach the Area Commander, ACP Udeze Alex Mbanefo, were unsuccessful, as his phone line was unavailable at the time of filing this report. Calls and messages sent to the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, also went unanswered as of press time.