by Adeola Balogun

According to reports, 6 female police officers who participated in a #BringBackOurGirls protest in Nasarawa have been detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the state.

The protest, which held on Thursday, is one of many around the world which aim to pressure the Nigerian government to secure the release of the over 200 school girls kidnapped from Chibok in Borno by Boko Haram insurgents.

The female officers were said to have been arrested and interrogated and then subsequently detained.

Daily Trust reports:

The command summoned and interrogated the six officers alongside our reporter because of the reported participation of female officers in last Thursday’s #BringBackOurGirls protest in Lafia.

The officers were first interrogated at the state police command headquarters along Makurdi Road, and then moved to the state CID along Jos road, all lasting between past 12pm and 6pm when they were finally detained, Daily Trust learnt.

They were paraded in the open at the state CID, before newsmen, and asked to say what they know of their role during the #SaveOurGirls protest.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of CID, who handled the final aspect of the interrogation was in constant phone communication with the commissioner of police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and reported back to our reporter that he had orders to “lock” him up because he declined to point at the paraded officers and name the cop that spoke in an earlier report about the Thursday protest.

Our reporter saw the women being dragged into a room, and minutes later, their berets, belts, bangles, shoes and other personal effects including phones were seen leaving the room. Our reporter was held up in detention far off from the detention room of the women, and could not follow up for details.

When called for confirmation, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRP) Mr. Namu Umaru Ismaila said he was not informed enough to confirm the detention of the six female officers.

“I am not aware. I am not sure,” Mr. Ismaila said.