IGP orders investigation into police brutality

isaac

December 12, 2014 4:06 PM

The Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has instituted a high powered body to investigate the alleged brutality of a couple by a police officer in Lagos.

The Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman Abba, has restated his resolve to weed bad eggs in the Nigeria Police Force by ordering a full scale investigation into the alleged brutality meted out to a couple, Ejeh and Grace Smith, by a police officer in Lagos identified as Corporal Dada Ogunsanya, with a view to bringing the culprit to book.

The case which has brought out human rights activist in the country calling or the head of the erring policeman, took place last week when the taxi the couple were in, was stopped by a police patrol team for a check around Lekki Penninsula.

An argument was said to have ensued between the policemen and the couple when they told him not to point their torchlight at them. This was said to have incensed officer Ogunsanya who pulled out the couple and dealt them several blows, leading them to sustaining serious injuries.

The brouhaha has led to a lot of heat on the police and this has necessitated the IGP to institute a full scale enquiry into the case and if officer Ogunsanya is guilty, will be brought to book.

In a statement released by the Force spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on behalf of the IGP, all the officers involved in the case including the Ikoyi Division DPO, Aisha Haruna who was accused of confiscating and destroying Smith's camera, would be sanctioned.

"The attention of the Police High Command has been drawn to a viral media story alleging police incivility to a couple in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has ordered a full scale investigation into the matter in line with his avowed commitment to protect and uphold the human rights of all Nigerians and residents therein.

The officer involved has been identified and is already undergoing administrative trial. All other officers whose conduct did not speak well in the incident are also being sanctioned, preparatory to further necessary action."

Ojukwu further stated that Abba would not condone any act of indiscipline, noting that any person or group of persons caught acting disorderly or abusing rights of members of the public would not only be punished internally, but would also be made to face the wrath of the law.

isaac