NIGERIANS on social media have expressed outrage after a video showed some police officers crushing a man with their vehicle in Ekpoma, Edo State.
The footage, which has since gone viral, shows a man lying on the ground in handcuffs while a Sienna bus, occupied by police officers, intentionally ran over him.
The ICIR gathered that the man was handcuffed by police officers attached to the Ekpoma division after he refused to allow them access to his mobile phones.
The officers’ attempt to take man to the police station was resisted by onlookers, resulting in a confrontation between the two groups.
Amidst the chaotic scene, the police officers entered their vehicle and ran over the handcuffed man, who was left writhing on the ground.
The victim was said to have sustained multiple bruises on his body and was taken to the hospital for medical attention.
The incident angered Nigerians on Twitter, a popular micro blogging site, with many demanding the officers’ immediate arrest and prosecution.
A user, O. O Nwani, while questioning the rationale behind the officers’ action, demanded justice for the victim.
Honestly, the beastialities of the rogue cops are too gruesome to be ignored.
Why use a vehicle to crush a citizen protesting your alleged illegality. We demand justice for the victim of the police high handedness@PoliceNG@PoliceNG_CRU@USinNigeria@UKinNigeria @VP @POTUS https://t.co/HTrG6bLuIE— O. O. Nwani (LP) (@BarrTailorson) June 30, 2023
Temo, another Twitter user, urged the police authorities to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their personnel to separate the bad eggs from the good ones.
The problem is what kind individuals do @PoliceNG recruit and call them officers of the law. The image of police should be uplifted. You need to separate the sheeps from the goats. This is barbaric https://t.co/qmxrMCH2hx
— Temo (@Temoofficial_) June 30, 2023
A Twitter user who goes by the name, Truth Whispers, called on the Inspector General of Police to punish the officers behind the “heinous” incident.
Mr IGP, when you talk about Nigeria enemies, please, know they are very close to you, and sometimes in Uniform too. This alleged heinous act by a police officer is appalling, Anti-Nigeria and must be punished.#TruthsWhisper#EndPoliceBrutality https://t.co/6eBXdNqvLf
— Truths Whisper (@truths_whisper) June 30, 2023
In response to the incident, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, denounced the action of the officers as “unpolice” and confirmed that the Commissioner of Police in Edo had been contacted.
This is unpolice. I dont think a normal human being can do this. To crush a man with a car? This is unbelievable. I have personally contacted the CP Edo on this. We need to take urgent action on the matter. It's strange to me as a person. https://t.co/yJQAS9lppA
— Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi (@Princemoye1) June 30, 2023
When The ICIR contacted the Edo State Police spokesperson, Chidi Nwabuzor, he said the Command would respond to the incident in an official statement today.
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