Four Police officers have been arrested and paraded by the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly brutalising a female traveller in Rivers State, the Nigeria Police said in a statement.
According to the statement released on Monday, September 4th 2023, by the Nigeria Police, Force stated this about the four Police officers:
“We want to inform our esteemed friends that the police officers allegedly involved in the incident from the video have been identified and are now in custody as part of our ongoing investigation.
We are committed to ensuring a fair and thorough examination of this matter. However, to ensure transparency and gather all perspectives, we urgently request the lady seen in the video to please come forward and share her side of the story. Your input is crucial in helping us understand the situation fully. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities“, the statement said about the four Policemen.
How It All Started:
A human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, had petitioned the Nigerian Police Force via his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday over the alleged assault of a traveller by some unidentified police officers in the state.
Mr Gwamnishu said the traveller, simply identified as Jennifer, was allegedly beaten by the officers who were on a stop-and-search operation around Ada George, Port Harcourt, on Thursday.
The activist uploaded a video clip of the incident.
“Please investigate this and call these men to order. Thank you,” he appealed to the police authorities in Nigeria.
Video clip
In the one-minute, three seconds clip, which has now gone viral, a woman is heard shouting at some armed officers along a highway, accusing them of inflicting injury on her sister.
“This is the Nigerian Police. Look at my sister’s mouth,” she yelled at the officers.
The clip showed at least four armed officers at the scene of the incident.
“Policemen give my sister beta injury and you are here making a video of me. After giving my sister an injury. Did you see anything in my sister’s bag? Never,” she said.
The sister, understood to be Jennifer, was bleeding on her lips. She was seen inside a Toyota Corolla car struggling to clean herself up.
The clip did not show when the officers allegedly inflicted the injury on her.
Two unidentified persons, believed to be co-travellers, were seen discussing with some of the officers in the video.
Police react
Responding, the police in Rivers State, via their official X handle on Saturday, said their attention had been drawn to the viral clip of the officers accused of assaulting the lady.
“…The command wishes to inform the general public that all hands are on deck to identify the police officers in the trending video for proper investigation,” the police wrote on the microblogging site.
Not the first time
The latest incident occurred about five months after a police officer, filmed slapping a motorist in Emouha, Rivers State, was demoted.
The Emouha incident occurred a few days after Ubi Ebri, another officer, allegedly shot dead a young man in the neighbouring Delta State for reportedly refusing to give N100 bribe.