A 25-year-old sex worker, Cherish John, has allegedly beaten up a female police officer, Sergeant Ihuoma Njoku, for attempting to mediate in a fight between her and another prostitute at a hotel where they had gone to solicit for patronage.
Our correspondent gathered that the suspected prostitute attacked the female police officer and tore her uniform.
The sex worker, who was said to be tipsy, also poured the beer she was drinking before the alleged brawl on the female police officer.
The incident occurred around 10:00pm at the Continental Hotel in the Papa Ajao area of Mushin, Lagos, where John and her fellow sex workers operate.
Njoku is attached to the Area D Police Station in Mushin.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspect and her colleagues vehemently resisted Njoku and other officers, who had come to disrupt their trade.
The resistance was said to have degenerated into a brawl, following the attack on Njoku, as her colleagues mobilised other police officers from the division to arrest the sex
worker.
Speaking to our correspondent, a resident, who identified himself as Kenneth Omaru, said, “The officer was beaten by one of the girls. She even tore her uniform and poured beer on her. She has been arrested and detained at the station.
“Many of the girls are doing it in this area. We have many brothels, where even some of the officers go to sleep with these girls. They don’t need to go and arrest them.”
Another resident simply identified as Uche, said, “I was outside my shop that night with other neighbours, when we saw some police officers entering the hotel. Shortly after, we just started to hear shouts and we later heard that one of the ashawos (prostitutes) beat up a police officer.
“When we got to the hotel, a lot of people were there. After about 30 minutes, other officers from the station came and they arrested the lady that assaulted the policewoman.”
Meanwhile, a police source hinted that the suspect had been charged to court over the incident.
The Lagos Police Public Relations officer, Superintendent Chike Oti, promised to contact the Area over the case, but he did not get back to our correspondent as at
press time.