At last: some resistance to the Lagos 'Indecent dressing' nonsense
PRESS RELEASE
August 15, 2007
WORNACO CONDEMNS THE ARBITRARY ARREST OF WOMEN ON LAGOS STREET OVER “INDECENT DRESSING”
August 15, 2007
WORNACO CONDEMNS THE ARBITRARY ARREST OF WOMEN ON LAGOS STREET OVER “INDECENT DRESSING”
The Women's Organization For representation and National Cohesion (WORNACO), condemns in strong terms the continued arrest of women on the street of Lagos.
According to the National Coordinator of WORNACO, Ms Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, “the arrest is unconstitutional and a clear evidence of gender targeted rights violation”. She noted further that, “with the facts at hand, over 90 women were arraigned before various Magistrate Courts at the Ikeja District on the 25th day of July 2007, while some of them were able to meet up with the condition of bail, over 80 women were reprimanded at the Kirikiri maximum prison. This development to us is quite disturbing. Women can no longer walk freely on the streets of Lagos for fear of being labeled and arrested by supposedly over zealous Lagos State Task Force”.
Ms Abiola Akiyode stated further that “While the reason for the continued arrest of ladies is due to their mode of dressing called dress code. The recent method of indiscriminate arrest of women by the joint task force is alarming as victim are constantly extorted while those who do not have money or insisted on their right are taken to a magistrate court and charge with public disorderly conduct. Those who were released were made to pay twenty thousand naira (N20,000.00) to the judiciary department, Lagos State Government, to us this is nothing but official extortion!”
While the Government of Lagos state and the Commissioner of Police have denied their involvement in the arrest of these women, we believe that as custodian of law and order in the state, they have a duty to protect all without any form of discrimination.
We therefore in one voice call on the Lagos State Government to take decisive steps to stop these arbitrary arrests. WORNACO is poised to take all legal means which include but not limited to rallies, protest and court action to protect women and girls on the street of Lagos from further embarrassments. WE HAVE WARNED!
Eyitope Success Adekunle
Program Officer
Signed.
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5 comments:
And the yeye police guy went and lied on Funmi Iyanda's show.
Where are the gods of thunder and lightning?
They strike no more?
finally!!!
I do not believe that the mode of dressing of any Nigeian citizen comes across to the general public as Illegal, that is just absurd to any rational thinking mind. And to think that a leader whom we elected will have nothing better to do than day dream about womens dressing.
Some women dress to show off their figure, I agree that this can be done with full colthing but it is not the place of the goverment to decide what we wear, as some wear it because of the hot weather.
All around the world these clothes are worn at summer time, in Nigeria it is sumer all year round. If the governor does not like this I think he should move to a colder climate.
I was in the dominican republic this summer where the health workers were warning people against heavy clothing. This can lead to heat exhausion and can cause people to collapse.
The mode of dressing of anyone should not be of great concern, Afterall, work places, schools, and some public houses have thier dress codes.
why bother people who choose to dress light or have thier ears peirced or hair braided, will I be deported from Nigeria if one day the governor gets even more idle and decides that tatoos are illegal?
Lets deal with seriuos issues Like Corruption, teh Niger delta crisis, shortage in power supply, water and other social amenities.
Bobby Iliya
@anonymous: But arresting people for dressing "indecently" is supposed to distract people from the continuing failure of their elected representatives to provide decent public services.
It's much the same as the enthusiasm for sharia in the north, distracting the populace while the governors loot the state treasury.
Is this virus contagious? Check out what's happening in Atlanta. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070824/tod-us-fashion-youth-offbeat-f62056d_1.html
I read today that Fashola is offering free legal services to victims of illegal arrest, especially women held for "indecent dressing". If it's not the police and not the governor's task force as alleged, who exactly are these overzealous law enforcement officers representing?
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