Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Ogun State Police Command has issued a strong warning to Nigerians against the growing practice of declaring suspects guilty of rape on social media before investigations are concluded or courts have determined the facts. The warning came from the Command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, a legal practitioner, in an opinion article titled "Rape, reputation and the court of public opinion," published on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Babaseyi described a disturbing pattern that has become increasingly common: a woman says she was raped, a man denies it, and social media delivers its verdict before the police investigate, before evidence is examined, and before a court hears the matter. "The courtroom now has a competitor. It is called the internet. And sometimes, it is faster than justice. But speed is not the same as truth," he said. He stressed that rape is one of the gravest allegations a person can face and deserves seriousness, sensitivity, and proper investigation, but insisted that an allegation is not a conviction.
The PPRO noted that Nigeria does not operate a single statutory definition of rape, pointing to the Criminal Code, Penal Code, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, alongside state laws. While the Criminal Code and Penal Code frame rape around unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman without consent, the VAPP Act broadens the definition to include penetration of another person without consent, whether through the vagina, anus, or mouth. He used this distinction to make a point that society often struggles to accept: a man can also be a victim of rape. "A male victim is still a victim. His gender should not make his experience less believable," Babaseyi said.
He also addressed the question of consent, stressing that the law does not assume consent from familiarity, a relationship, or a previous consensual encounter. Knowing someone does not mean consenting to sex. Being in a relationship does not mean consenting to every sexual act. A previous consensual encounter does not create permanent consent. At the same time, he argued that an allegation cannot become proof simply because it is emotionally compelling or because the accused is unpopular. "We can take an allegation seriously without declaring the accused guilty. That is not a contradiction. That is justice," he said.
Babaseyi explained that the police are not the court and their responsibility is not to manufacture guilt or innocence but to establish facts. He outlined the investigative process, which includes receiving complaints, protecting complainants, identifying and interviewing relevant persons, preserving evidence, examining digital communications, considering medical or forensic evidence, tracing witnesses, and testing competing accounts. "The investigation must be willing to follow the evidence wherever it leads. That is what makes policing credible, not the ability to satisfy the crowd, but the courage to pursue the truth," he said.
While acknowledging that social media can play a positive role by exposing hidden issues, encouraging victims to speak, and putting pressure on institutions to act, he warned that it has a dangerous weakness because it does not have to prove its case. A post can go viral without being verified. A video can create an impression without providing complete context. A screenshot can be genuine and still tell only part of a story. He urged the public to stop asking "whose side are you on?" and instead ask "whose side is the truth on?"
The PPRO's intervention comes amid a broader national conversation about the handling of sexual violence allegations and the role of social media in shaping public opinion. The warning is particularly relevant in a country where high-profile cases have often been tried and concluded in the court of public opinion long before they reach a courtroom. Babaseyi's message is clear: rape is a legal question governed by applicable law, not by hashtags, celebrity status, or public sentiment. It is not a gender war or a social-media referendum.
The Ogun State Police Command has reiterated its commitment to investigating all allegations of sexual violence thoroughly and impartially, while also protecting the rights of the accused. The PPRO called for a society where a woman can report rape without being silenced, where a man can report the same without being mocked, where an accused can claim innocence without being convicted by strangers, and where the police can investigate without choosing between compassion and impartiality. As the debate over social media trials continues, the message from Ogun State is a timely reminder that justice delayed is not justice denied, but justice by hashtag is not justice at all.
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