Women’s advocacy group, HerRights Watch, has condemned what it described as “a calculated, misogynistic and false campaign” by SaharaReporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore, to demonise women in the Nigeria Police Force, especially those serving in the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The group described the article recently published by SaharaReporters, which sought to scandalise female officers, especially ACP Bukola Kuti and DSP David Victoria, as “a shameless, sexist smear built on malicious gossip rather than credible journalism.”
The Convener of HerRights Watch, Onyinye Eze, in a strongly worded statement, expressed dismay at the choice of Sowore to turn what is essentially an institutional issue of police promotions, which is even overwhelmingly skewed towards male officers, into a personal attack on a few women who have distinguished themselves in service just because he seeks to impress his paymasters who have enlisted him to consistently attack the IGP.
“Is Sowore suggesting that women have no right to serve in sensitive positions or be recognized for their exceptional work and contributions to society? Is he implying that a woman’s competence and progress can only come through illicit means? That line of thinking is not only deeply offensive but also regressive and dangerous,” Eze said.
“The criteria for accelerated promotion are well-established, for instance any officer who wins Police Service Merit Award on two occasions automatically qualifies. The lady in question followed the same process because she merrited it. Furthermore, contrary to the misleading claims in the article, she has been in service for well over 10 years. Can anyone reasonably claim that the same IGP has been responsible for all her promotions over the years when she has only worked with him for less two years?
“As further proof of Sowore’s malicious intent, the report falsely alleged that the promotion list was skewed in favour of officers from the South West. However, a thorough review of the list shows that officers from the North Central were, in fact, the top beneficiaries of the exercise.”
Eze pointed out that although the majority of officers promoted by the Police Service Commission in the referenced list were men, Sowore chose to build his entire narrative around a handful of women, dragging their names in the mud without presenting verifiable facts.
“This is not investigative journalism; this is misogyny wrapped in a failing attempt to undermine the leadership of the police by targeting women as easy scapegoats and collateral damage,” she said.
She further challenged the credibility of the so-called “sources” relied on by SaharaReporters, noting that the article dripped with innuendos, insinuations and stereotypes that demean the dignity of women in uniform, adding that “You cannot claim to be fighting for justice or accountability when your own report is a textbook example of character assassination and gender profiling.”
Eze, while expressing deep concern, noted that Sowore has long demonstrated troubling attitudes toward women. “It is, unfortunately, not surprising that Sowore would take this path,” she said. “There have been consistent concerns about his treatment of women in both his private and public life. It seems the same disregard for respect and dignity in his personal relationships is now reflected in the way he engages through his platform.”
“Here is a man who calls himself a human rights activist, yet he cannot hide his hatred for women, especially those in positions of responsibility. His SaharaReporters platform is increasingly being used not to expose corruption, but for racketeering.”
Eze called on Nigerians to reject the attempt to turn women into scapegoats in institutional controversies, adding that if the promotions in the Nigeria Police Force are flawed, the process can be addressed without maligning hardworking and deserving women who are caught in the web. She added that if male officers were promoted without merit, would Sowore insinuate they got there through sexual favours?
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In any case, it is on record that the incumbent Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has refused every attempt to encourage indiscriminate special accelerated promotion in spite of the humongous pressure from every quarter. Hence, he set up criteria, guidelines and a process for qualifying for a special promotion which was strictly adhered to on this matter.
She advised other journalists and media platforms to be responsible and gender-sensitive in their reporting, calling on media regulatory bodies, the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian communication Commission and human rights institutions to investigate the defamatory content of the SaharaReporters article and protect women in public service from malicious attacks based on their gender.
“We cannot allow this kind of journalistic recklessness to go unchallenged. It breeds a hostile environment for women and reinforces the culture of impunity, where men can say and write anything against women without consequences. Enough is enough,” she declared.
