The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest and detention of three police officers who were caught on camera assaulting an Okada rider in Abule Egba area of Lagos.
The incident, which occurred four days ago, went viral on social media and sparked outrage among Nigerians.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Wednesday evening during a Twitter Space webinar organised by Premium Times. He said the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, had sent him the video and ordered him to take action against the erring officers.
The Okada rider, identified as Al-Hassan Usman, was seen in the video being hit with a baton and pushed away by two policemen, while another one rode away with his bike. Usman sustained a severe injury on his forehead and bled profusely.
Adejobi said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, had already detained the officers without waiting for any order from the IGP. He said the CP was a thoroughbred officer who knew what to do in such situations.
“We don’t waste time when our men misbehave,” Adejobi said.
He added that the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, would soon make their photos available to the public to confirm that they had been detained. He said the police command would not tolerate any act of brutality or misconduct by its personnel.
He also said that the police command was investigating the circumstances that led to the incident and would ensure that justice was done. He appealed to the public to remain calm and trust the police to handle the matter professionally.
The incident was one of the many cases of police brutality against Okada riders in Lagos. Okada riders are commercial motorcyclists who provide transportation services to commuters in the state. They are often accused of violating traffic laws and regulations and clashing with law enforcement agents.
In September, a Chief Superintendent of Police, Kazeem Abonde, was killed by some Okada riders in Ajao Estate after he led a team to enforce restrictions on their operations. The Okada riders attacked him with stones and cudgels and shot him with his service pistol.
In October, some Okada riders also clashed with officials of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences at Mile 2-Second Rainbow axis. They set ablaze some vehicles belonging to the task force and injured some of its personnel.
The Lagos State Government has been trying to regulate the activities of Okada riders in the state to ensure safety and security. The government has banned Okada riders from operating on some major roads and bridges in the state and restricted their hours of operation.
However, some Okada riders have defied these rules and continued to operate illegally. They have also resisted attempts by the police and other agencies to enforce compliance. They have often resorted to violence and vandalism whenever they are confronted by law enforcement agents.
The Lagos State Police Command has vowed to deal decisively with any Okada rider who engages in criminal acts or attacks its officers. The command has also urged Okada riders to abide by the laws and regulations governing their operations in the state.
