Olukayode Egbetokun, the acting Inspector-General of Police, has ordered a squad of policemen attached to the Edo State Police Command to report to the force headquarters after a shackled middle-aged man was run over by a police vehicle on Thursday.
The handcuffed man was seen lying down in front of the police van in a video that went viral on Friday.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that the police would not tolerate such unprofessionalism and lawlessness.
Adejobi said, “The acting Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun has condemned the disturbing incident where a police team ran a vehicle over a citizen on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at Ekpoma, Edo State.
“The IGP has, therefore, directed the erring policemen, who have been in detention in Edo State, to report to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday for further action.
“Members of the public, particularly the people of Ekpoma, are implored to remain calm as the present leadership of the NPF will not condone such an act of unprofessionalism and illegality.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, in a press statement, said the policemen had been arrested.
The statement read in part, “The facts of the incident as gathered, indicate that on June 29, 2023, around 5pm, ASP Magdalene Osayande reported to the Ekpoma Divisional Police Headquarters, Ekpoma, Edo State, that while on a routine stop-and-search duty with her team of six policemen along Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, Edo State, she intercepted the driver of an unregistered Lexus car and demanded the vehicle particulars.
“Along the line, he became aggressive and refused to oblige the request of the police operatives, but rather attacked them, inflicted injuries on them, and destroyed the police vehicle.
“However, he was arrested, handcuffed, and identified as one Success Ehimare before the incident that is currently trending in social media occurred. He was later taken to Irrua Specialist Hospital for treatment and he is in good health condition.
“In light of the above, CP Mohammed Adamu Dankwara has condemned the action of the policemen that he saw in the trending video and he described their action as barbaric, inhumane, and unprofessional.
“He, therefore, gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer, Ekpoma, to identify, arrest, and bring them to the state police headquarters Benin for brief and debrief. The officers have been arrested, and they are with the State Criminal Investigation Department.”