THE Nigerian Police have taken stringent measures against officers caught on video for professional misconduct in Osun and Edo states.
In updates shared on NPF’s social media platforms, it was announced that officers Ikuesan Taiwo and Abass Ibrahim caught on video assaulting a woman in Odo Ori Market, Iwo Osun State have been dismissed from the Force.
In the same vein, Ozimende Aidonojie and Salubi Stephen, two officers captured on tape fighting by the roadside in Edo State, were also dismissed following investigations.
Ikuesan, a police inspector, and Abass, a corporal attacked and assaulted a lady identified as Tola Azeez on a weekend during the state-wide lockdown in Osun.
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The victim was caught while trying to buy drugs for her relatives at a pharmacy in Odo Ori Market in Iwo by the two officers.
The incident which was captured on video went viral and was immediately condemned by the Police, with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu describing the officers’ actions as unwarranted, unnecessary and unjustifiable.
“Following the IGP condemnation and directives, that the Commissioner of Police immediately arrest and bring the officers to book,” the statement shared on Facebook by the NPF read in part.
On the part of Ozimende and Salubi, both officers came under criticisms after they were caught on video fighting each other by the road side.
The two officers who served under the Edo State Police Command were said to have been arrested and dismissed.
“Cpl Ozimende Aidonojie and PC Salubi Stephen captured in the viral video fighting shamelessly in Edo State, have been tried and found guilty. They have been dismissed from the Force,” the post by the Force Public Relations Department shared on Facebook and Twitter, read.
The disciplinary measures taken against the officers have been welcomed by some Nigerians on social media, with many believing it is a new dawn in the Force.
As the world fights the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19 pandemic, governments; including that of Nigeria have implemented lockdown orders in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.
In enforcing the lockdown, several reports of police officers imploring draconian measures on citizens have birthed concerns and led initiatives set to tackle any human rights violations.
Just recently, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) partnered with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to develop an online platform where Nigerians can report any case of human rights violations and abuse by security agents.
This came up following the plethora of abuses perpetrated by security officials in enforcing the lockdown order.
The ICIR earlier reported how some Lagos Task Force officials were captured on tape destroying goods and wares of small business owners for disregarding the lockdown order.
More worrying as of April 16, when Nigeria’s COVID-19 death toll was 12, reports reveal that security forces enforcing the lockdown in parts of Nigeria had killed more people than the virus itself.
According to the NHRC, there is a record of over 100 complaints of human rights violations by security operatives.
It added that between March 30 (when the lockdown began) and April 16, law enforcers killed 18 people extrajudicially, BBC reports.
While the police is yet to respond or debunk the report, it, however, released a statement cautioning officers against trampling on the rights of citizens.
Seun Durojaiye is a journalist with International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).