THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has condemned Habeeb Okikiola’s (Portable) conduct when some policemen visited his recreational centre on Tuesday, March 28, in Ogun State.
The Police visited the recreational centre to arrest Portable over a series of criminal allegations against him.
The Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, March 29.
According to him Portable exhibited irrational behaviour and hurled insults at Police officers carrying out their legal duty.
In a viral video, Portable was seen accusing one ‘yahoo boy’ for inviting policemen to arrest him, daring them to enter his company.
“Yahoo boy carry police come arrest me. I say make you leave yahoo come do musician… You carry police come arrest musician,” he said.
Portable further dared, “This place na my cabal, Odo-uba, na me own am, if they born you well enter. I want to know the station they come from.”
Reacting to the artist’s action, the NPF said it will take necessary steps to investigate and prosecute Portable for any criminal activity he must have indulged in.
The statement read: “The Nigeria Police Force has condemned the actions of one Habeeb Okikiola popularly known by his stage name Portable, in a viral video, where he was seen exhibiting irrational behavior and hurling insults at Police officers carrying out their legal duty, an action which is criminal and punishable by the criminal laws of Nigeria.
“The action of the singer in the video was unruly and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and incitement of violence against the officers who were detailed to execute a warrant of arrest on him for series of allegations of criminal acts leveled against Mr Portable.
“The NPF will take all necessary steps to investigate his actions and ensure that he is prosecuted for any criminal activity he may have committed depending on the severity of the offense.”
The Police, in the same vein, urged Nigerians to respect law enforcement agents.
“The Police will not condone any unruly act, assault or attack on its officers who are on lawful duty. We need to respect our law enforcement agents who perpetually take the risk of maintaining law and order and fight crimes and criminality in our society.”
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M