In an unexpected turn of events, the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command, has ordered the prosecution of a corps member, David Ogunnusi, who was harassed by policemen from the Ikorodu division recently.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesperson, revealed this in a statement issued on Friday.
He stated that it was one of the decisions made following an investigation into a viral video depicting three police officers engaging in unprofessional behavior toward the 24-year-old Ogunnusi.
In an unusual twist, Hundeyin stated that the corps member would be prosecuted for inciting the public against the police.
According to Hundeyin, the police also decided to sanction two assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) and one Inspector for alleged unprofessional conduct in the matter.
According to Hundeyin, the officers are ASP Adedeji Babatunde, ASP Ebiloma John, and Insp. Obidah Daniel of the Sagamu Road Police Division in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
According to Hundeyin, Ogunnusi told police that the incident occurred at New Garage, Ikorodu, around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, as they were on their way to Ojota.
He claimed that the cops stopped them and began harassing them.
“They demanded our ID cards, which we showed them as Corps members even in our uniforms, but that was insufficient proof for them.”
I asked them to check my bag to see if there was any illegal substance or weapon in it, but they refused, telling us to go inside their (patrol) bus. I insisted, saying that if they couldn’t do it publicly, we weren’t going in.
“Suddenly, a mufti-clad police officer struck me, and they removed my Youth Corps face cap while my brother was being carried like an animal.” I quickly raised awareness, and then others joined in.
“So, the cops just took my younger brother’s phone and zoomed off, telling us to come to their station,” Ogunnusi explained.
The men were identified through the viral video, according to the police spokesman, who added that the officers and corps members were at the command’s headquarters on Friday for investigation.
Hundeyin stated that a careful examination of all parties’ statements revealed that the police officers acted unprofessionally in demanding that the corps member and his brother be taken to the station for a search.
“That act was completely unnecessary, provocative, and unethical.” It would have been a different story if a search at the same location had turned up criminal items on them, which would have justified transporting them to the station for further interrogation and statement taking. For this, CP Abiodun Alabi had ordered that the ASPs be questioned, and the Inspector had defaulted in accordance with the Force’s existing procedural rules.
“For his part, the corps member will be prosecuted for inciting members of the public against the police,” he said.