By Uche Amunike
In a bid to sanitize the Nigerian Police Force in the state, the Kogi State government has condemned the police brutality by some officers of the Kogi State Police Command who allegedly assaulted an innocent passenger, stating that brutality against Nigerian youths most be stopped.
This charge was made when the Kogi State Command of the Nigerian Police Force apprehended the police officers who allegedly assaulted an innocent passenger in the state and extorted N25,000 from him by making him withdraw the money, after forcefully taking him to the ATM for withdrawal.
Unknown to the officers, another passenger recorded the officers while they harassed the young man before taking him to the ATM and sent the video viral so as to attract the attention of Nigerians and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Unfortunately for the officers, the video caught the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, who give orders to the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dauda Dabban to commence investigations on the matter.
The IGP stated that the Nigerian Police Force condemns police brutality in its entirety, while calling on the general public to stay calm with the promise that at the end of the investigations, justice will be done to the victim of the incident and the erring officers, if found guilty, must face the consequences of their actions.
Sequel to the IGP’s order, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, who outrightly, also condemned police brutality in the Force, eventually announced that the erring officers in the video had been apprehended and detained at the State Criminal Investigations Department.
The officers involved in the physical assault of the innocent passenger and extortion of N25,000 unwillingly paid by him are, ASP Isah Barnabas, Inspector Ifediegwu Godwin, Sgt Emmanuel Ochima and Cpl Umameh Mathias.
A statement issued by the Police Force confirmed that the ASP has been issued an official query while the other three junior officers are still undergoing orderly room trial which is the police internal disciplinary action meted out to such officers in cases like this.
On his part, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Famwo assured that the state will follow up on the case so as to ensure that justice is served.
He expressed his joy at the swift intervention of the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Dabban in identifying and apprehending the professional officers, while assuring that they will be tried immediately.
He stated baba three-step government is led by young people and condemns police brutality against the youth, stressing that it is a thing that must be kicked against in all forms.
He added that Nigeria will thrive only when the rights of her citizens are respected and protected which is what the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello upholds in the state, assuring that justice will be done in this case in order to serve as a deterrent for possible future occurrences.
They opined that the Kogi state government owes Nigerians a responsibility of protection and security as the centre of the nation.
