Lagos Police Begins Orderly Trial Of Officers Who Arrested, Detained Activist For Filming Incident Of Police Brutality
Lagos state police command have begun the orderly trial of two police officers who arrested and detained an activist, Tunde Abass, who filmed them while harassing a Nigerian man at Onipanu area of the state.
Abass was arrested and detained on March 21 by police at Onipanu Division for recording the harassment and forceful arrest of one Kabir Mohammed at Onipanu Area of the State on Friday, March 19.
Tunde in a video live-streamed on his Facebook account, a policeman was seen trying to harass a young man driving a wine-coloured car.
Angered by the actions of the police officers, Tunde could be heard shouting at the top of his voice and telling the police officer not to harass the man because “he has provided necessary documents”.
While speaking in the video, he added;
You’re trying to intimidate the guy. They’ve burst his tyres. They’ve burst the guy’s tyres. They’re trying to intimidate the guy.
Following this, Tunde was arrested and detained, according to his counsel, Ayo Ademiluyi, adding that after being beaten “black and blue”, the man was denied food brought by his friends.
Police officers returned him to the cell at Onipanu Division before taking him to Legal Department of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti “and were unsuccessful in getting a charge preferred against him”.
Tunde was later released from detention and he thanked Nigerians for standing by him during the ordeal.
Following the incident, Lagos state police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, in his reaction, ordered that the erring officers be subjected to orderly trial while the DPO in the division be redeployed to the state police command.
Giving an update on his Twitter handle, the spokesperson of the state police command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the orderly trial has commenced.
The disciplinary procedure should not be limited to the junior officers alone, CSP Francis Ani, the DPO must also be made to face trial. Selective justice amounts to serious injustice. Nobody should be seen or perceived to be above the law.
— Constance Justice( Fiat justicia ruat caelum) . (@Constan02592105) March 31, 2021
PHOTO UPDATE: #CRU394911#NoToImpunity pic.twitter.com/qVQqJ7VLPl
— POLICE COMPLAINT (@PoliceNG_CRU) March 31, 2021
