A video showing a Metropolitan Police officer allegedly advising a group of Nigerian women not to report their husbands to the police but to “manage it” is now under investigation after resurfacing on social media, six years after it was originally filmed.
The video, recorded at Divine Restoration International Church in Camberwell in 2018, captures a police staff member addressing an audience predominantly made up of women, with three officers standing by.
This has ignited outrage among abuse charities, The Mirror reports.
In the footage, viewed by The Mirror, the officer can be heard speaking both English and Yoruba, a Nigerian language, while standing at a pulpit discussing issues like knife crime and how some sons might ignore their mothers in favour of their fathers.
The officer allegedly goes on to say that Nigerian women, upon arriving in the UK, begin acting “rudely” towards their husbands, and should refrain from calling the police on them, but rather “manage it.”
Police have confirmed that the footage has been referred to the Metropolitan Police’s standards unit for review.
Afruca, a children’s safeguarding group, has expressed outrage over the officer’s remarks, filing a formal complaint with the Met.
In its letter, Afruca emphasized that the officer’s advice effectively encouraged victims to remain in abusive relationships and discouraged them from seeking police protection.
The Chief Executive of Afruca, Debbie Ariyo, who viewed the video, told The Mirror, “[The officer said], ‘Do not call the police on your husband, but manage it.’”
“When I heard it, I was livid. Like what do you mean? So if a man is abusing the woman, and don’t forget, domestic violence is always about physical abuse and emotional even in terms of cultural practices, its a sexual issue – so if a woman is being abused in the home, she shouldn’t call the police because if she does, the man will be removed from the home and the children will spiral and it will be her fault.
“If a woman is being abused, you’re saying that women shouldn’t seek police protection. “That was really bad of them, that’s just like minimising these issues in our communities. That Nigerians don’t really matter. Even children are victims in the home when domestic violence is going on.”
Ariyor also expressed concern that violence against Black women was being overlooked. She pointed to data from the PA News agency, which revealed that of the 21 femicide victims recorded by the Metropolitan Police in 2022, nine (43%) were Black—a higher proportion than any other ethnic group.
Debbie said, “We’ve been talking about violence against women but we haven’t talked about violence against Black women. Women in African and Caribbean communities.
“And so to hear a police officer who should understand the UK Domestic Violence Act of 2021, telling women that they shouldn’t call the police on their husbands, whatever the explanation is, it’s counterproductive. I felt it was an attack on Nigerian women.
“Coming from a police officer, where we see many police officers being convicted of hurting women, it’s the first thing I thought about.”
On his part, Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh disclosed that the video had been referred to the professional standards team.
Adjei-Addoh said, “The incident reported relates to an informal talk by a police member of staff made at a church in Camberwell back in 2018. The comments made by the member of the police staff categorically do not represent the position of the Met in relation to domestic abuse and are wrong. There are no circumstances where it would be appropriate for a victim-survivor of domestic abuse not to report it to the police if they feel able to do so.
“Over recent years, the Met has developed a raft of dedicated investigation teams focused on domestic abuse. Within the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, we work in partnership with the local authorities and third-sector charities involved in VAWG to ensure we have strategies to encourage domestic abuse reporting and support victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
“The video has been referred to our professional standards unit to assess and consider what action is to be taken. Afruca and other charities like them carry out invaluable work in the domestic abuse space, and I understand the concern this matter has caused.
“Lastly, I am keen to speak with those who have been particularly affected in an attempt to reassure them of our ongoing commitment to tackling this type of crime and protecting those who are at risk.”
