A video of a gun-totting policeman assaulting a man in the presence of his wife in PortHarcourt, the Rivers State capital, has gone viral.
The video which was sighted by Metronetworknews showed the officer flogging and slapping the harmless man and shouting in pidgin English, ‘waka dey go, waka dey go”, while the man was heard saying, ‘why are you flogging me, I thief?
Also, in the video, the officer’s colleague was seen facing the man’s female campanion said to be his wife. .
She was heard in the short video clip saying,”honey, let’s go”
The trending video has elicited wide condemnation on the social media as commentators laid curses on the Nigerian Police force.
A commentator wrote, ”God punish these unprofessional police men”.
Another commentor said, ” The police authority must get the men and ensure they don’t go unpunished”.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has reacted to the video.
Adejobi said it is unethical for a police officer to flog someone.
He added that irrespective of what the man must have done, he did not deserve to be beaten ‘’like a baby.”
”Quite unfortunate. I have asked the Rivers State Command to fish them out. This is unpolice, unethical, and condemned. Whatever the man must have done, he doesn’t deserve this beating. Beating him like a baby? A grown-up man?. We will surely get the men”, he assured.
In the same vein, the Rivers State Police Command has commenced investigation into the matter.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the state of command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the policeman in the video had been identified, adding that the incident happened at Elibrada Junction in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
Iringe-Koko further said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Okon Effiong, has ordered the arrest of the cop involved, adding that he would be investigated and punished accordingly.
“Following the identification of the policemen shown in a viral video harassing and assaulting an unidentified man at a Elibrade junction, Emohua, the Rivers State Command Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, has ordered the immediate arrest of the officers indicated.
“As a defender of human rights, the CP assures members of the public, that the police officers will be investigated in line with extant rules underlying the conduct of police personnel and appropriate sanctions meted accordingly.
“The command further assures the good people of Rivers State of its unalloyed commitment to promoting the rule of law”, the statement read.
