S3x Worker Remanded for Assaulting Police Officer in Ondo
The story of 25-year-old Precious Alabi, a self-confessed s3x worker who allegedly assaulted two police officers while resisting arrest, has thrown up a broader debate on law enforcement, citizens’ rights, and the growing tension between the police and vulnerable social groups in Nigeria. The unfolding drama at the Akure Magistrates’ Court is not just a simple case of assault but a reflection of how the criminal justice system intersects with issues of poverty, dignity, and the informal survival economy that thrives on the fringes of the law.
According to the police report presented in court, the incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. on October 20, 2025, at Signatures Hotel, Alagbaka, a popular night spot in Akure. Police prosecutor Augustine Omhenimhen told the court that officers from the ‘A’ Division were on routine patrol when they approached a group of women suspected to be involved in commercial s3x work. Upon seeing the patrol team, some of the women reportedly fled, but Alabi was apprehended by Corporal David Fagbemi and taken into custody for questioning.
What began as a standard arrest quickly spiraled into confrontation. The prosecution alleged that while Corporal Fagbemi was carrying out his lawful duty, Alabi obstructed him by grabbing and tearing his uniform. The tension escalated when she allegedly headbutted Inspector Daramola Yetunde, who attempted to restrain her. The attack reportedly left the officer with injuries to her lips and teeth, prompting immediate medical attention.
The charges brought against Alabi—assault and obstruction of a police officer on duty—are serious under Sections 356(1) and 356(2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State (2006). These provisions prescribe punishment for anyone who assaults a public officer in the execution of their duty, a charge that typically carries a sentence of several months to years, depending on the severity.
When the charges were read, Alabi pleaded not guilty, insisting that she was being unjustly targeted. Her demeanour in court—defiant yet visibly shaken—captured the complexity of her position. Represented by Olugbenga Adejugbe, her counsel, she argued that the arrest was arbitrary and that she had been wrongly profiled by the police simply because of where she stood and what she wore that night.
She told the court that she was “standing by the roadside” when “other girls ran away,” and that she was “picked up for no reason.” Her claim echoes a common narrative among many low-income women in urban centres, who often complain of indiscriminate police arrests under the pretext of controlling prostitution or curbing night-time crime.
Alabi further claimed that after spending the night in custody, she was released but later ordered back into detention by Inspector Daramola. She said she explained to the officer that she was an asthma patient and could not stay in a congested cell. “I was already weak and gasping for breath,” she said. “When she pushed me, I moved back, and our heads hit each other. It was not intentional.”
The magistrate, O.T. Lebi, listened patiently as both sides presented their initial positions. Inspector Daramola, appearing in court with visible injuries, recounted her version of events. She said that Alabi “turned violent” after being told to return to the cell and that the headbutt was a deliberate act of aggression. “She insulted me and said no one could lock her up again. Before I knew it, she hit me with her head and I started bleeding,” Daramola testified.
The case, while seemingly routine, highlights an enduring social dilemma: the criminalisation of poverty and the friction between informal workers and law enforcement. Commercial s3x work, though widespread in Nigeria, remains unregulated and stigmatized. Those who engage in it often operate in the shadows, vulnerable to police harassment, exploitation, and arbitrary arrest.
Legal analysts have long argued that many of these confrontations could be avoided through reforms in policing and clearer distinctions between moral enforcement and actual crime prevention. In Alabi’s case, human rights observers in Akure are already expressing concerns that her social status may influence how justice is administered.
One legal practitioner who followed the proceedings, Barrister Aina Oyekunle, remarked that “while assaulting a police officer is an offence, it is also important that courts recognize the context—how these encounters start, who initiates physical contact, and whether there are procedural violations.” She added that “law enforcement officers must operate within the boundaries of professionalism and human dignity, even when dealing with those on society’s margins.”
The prosecutor, Omhenimhen, requested time to review the case file and prepare for trial, indicating that three witnesses—including both officers and a hotel staff member—would be called. He noted that CCTV footage from the hotel might be presented to corroborate the police version of events.
The defence did not oppose the adjournment but appealed for bail, citing Alabi’s health condition and her “non-violent background.” However, Magistrate Lebi declined to grant bail immediately, stating that the allegations were “serious enough to warrant temporary remand until the facts are fully reviewed.”
He ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ondo Correctional Centre pending the next adjourned date, set for October 28, 2025. He also cautioned the accused to “desist from acts that can disrupt lawful police operations,” emphasizing that the court would not condone any attack on security personnel.
Outside the courtroom, the case generated mixed reactions. Some members of the public argued that Alabi’s behaviour was unacceptable and that disrespect toward law enforcement must carry consequences. “The police are there to protect us,” one resident, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogundare, said. “If everyone begins to attack officers, there will be no order in society.”
However, women’s rights activists and civil society groups took a more sympathetic stance, calling for a balanced view of the matter. A local gender advocate, Mrs. Funke Ajayi of the Women in Justice Initiative, criticized what she called the “moral profiling” of women at night. “It is becoming routine for police to round up women at night and accuse them of being s3x workers. This exposes them to humiliation and sometimes extortion,” she said.
Ajayi argued that even if Alabi acted wrongly, her behaviour might have stemmed from years of mistreatment by authorities. “We can’t ignore the psychological trauma of living in a system that constantly criminalizes your existence,” she added.
In cities like Akure, night-time arrests targeting s3x workers are common, often justified as part of anti-crime efforts. But beneath these operations lies a pattern of gender-based policing that raises ethical questions. Studies have shown that such crackdowns disproportionately affect poor women, while their male clients or hotel operators rarely face similar scrutiny.
Nigeria’s legal system offers limited protection for individuals in these informal sectors. While the Constitution guarantees freedom of movement and dignity, there are no clear legal frameworks governing s3x work, leaving both workers and law enforcement in a moral grey area.
Alabi’s case underscores the urgent need for reform—not necessarily to legalize prostitution, but to establish clearer guidelines that prevent human rights violations under the guise of morality policing.
Legal experts suggest that if found guilty, Alabi could face up to three years’ imprisonment, depending on how the prosecution proves intent and injury. However, the defence could argue for a non-custodial sentence, citing self-defence or provocation, especially if medical evidence supports her claim of asthma and physical distress.
Professor Olumide Ogunbadejo, a criminologist at Adekunle Ajasin University, believes the case will test judicial impartiality. “When a marginalized person confronts authority, the presumption of guilt is almost automatic. It takes a courageous court to balance emotion with equity,” he said.
He added that the court must determine whether the alleged assault was an act of defiance or a reflexive response to excessive force. “Policing, in its best form, should de-escalate—not inflame—situations,” Ogunbadejo noted.
For Alabi, the coming weeks will decide not only her legal fate but also her social survival. Her remand at the Ondo Correctional Centre represents yet another turn in a cycle many women in her line of work experience—arrest, detention, and social stigma. But beyond her personal ordeal lies a collective question: how should society treat those caught between moral judgment and economic necessity?
If the court upholds her claim of being unjustly arrested, it could send a message about the limits of police power. If, however, the evidence confirms deliberate assault, her punishment may serve as a deterrent. Either way, her case exposes the fragile boundary between justice and marginalization in Nigeria’s lower courts.
As the legal battle resumes on October 28, all eyes will be on how Magistrate Lebi navigates the competing narratives of law, morality, and humanity. The case of Precious Alabi v. The State has already become more than just a courtroom proceeding—it has become a mirror reflecting society’s contradictions, where the quest for dignity collides with the authority of the law.
Tags: #OndoState #PoliceAssault #PreciousAlabi #AkureCourt #JusticeSystem #GenderRights #NigeriaCrime #LawAndSociety #HumanRights