Coronavirus: IGP condemns vandalism by officers during crackdown

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered investigations into vandalism displayed by some police officers in a video that's trending online.

Rapper Michael Stephens, known professionally as Ruggedman, posted a video late on Thursday, March 26, 2020 showing officers vandalising a shop in Lagos State.

The entertainer condemned the vandalism displayed by the officers, especially noting that they could have simply closed the shop.

The crackdown that happened in the video is believed to have been an attempt to shut down the shop as part of tough measures introduced by the state government to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered earlier this week that all open markets and stores, except for sellers of food, medicines, medical equipment and other essential life-saving products, be closed for seven days.

However, the state government has been forced afterwards to clarify that it doesn't mean the state is on lockdown as errorneously believed in public.

"Mr. Governor, who is the Incident Commander, only urged private sector establishments to introduce measures that will support the government’s efforts at curtailing the spread of COVID-19," an official statement read.

In reaction to the video shared by Ruggedman, Adamu condemned the officers' 'unprofessionalism and highhandedness'.

He directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Odumosu Olusegun, to investigate the incident and commence disciplinary actions against the officers involved.

"The IGP notes that we are now in extra-ordinary times - a global state of emergency. Police officers involved in the enforcement of restriction orders and other law enforcement functions must therefore exercise their discretionary powers with utmost sense of professionalism, compassion and respect for the citizens," a police statement read.

Lagos has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria with 44 out of a total of 65. The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has recorded 11 cases, followed by Ogun (3), Bauchi (2), and one each in Ekiti, Oyo, Edo, Osun, and Rivers.