Lockdown: Police officers caught on camera assaulting woman + Video

Despite reports condemning the attack on Nigerians by security operatives while enforcing coronavirus lockdown across the country, some police officers have been caught on camera assaulting a woman in Osun State.

The two officers brutalised the woman, Tola Azeez, in Odo Ori Market in Iwo, Osun State while she was trying to buy drugs for her relatives at a pharmacy on Saturday.

The action of the police officers has been condemned by the police authorities, the Osun State Government and the Oluwo of Iwo.

The video of the assault was first published online by Nigerian musician, RuggedMan, on his Twitter account, @Ruggedybaba. He called the attention of police authorities to the brutalization.

“Dear @PoliceNG @PoliceNG_CRU

@AcpIshaku FROM @KingMikasaa

Here’s a video of a Police officer Sergent Iku Esan & his colleagues flogging a woman for sitting outside her house in iwo, Osun state

#StayHome @segalink #Covid_19 #gbasgbos #Buhari #kemitalks https://t.co/H9RvRP0GtT

“The Woman sat in front of her house with some older women and a Police officer (Sergent Iku Esan), asked what she’s was doing in front of the house and the woman replied “is there anything bad in staying in front of my house” https://t.co/xlk15PTlwD

Video

“Suddenly He started flogging her and the woman kept saying don’t flog me within 3mins the rest of the Police officers 👮 came and joined hands and kept flogging her.”

The assaulted lady, Ms Azeez, also confirmed this in a retweet.

“This is me being beaten by the police today on my way to get drugs and some relief materials for my people,” she wrote while she retweeted a video posted by @RuggedMan.

Police react

When contacted by our correspondent, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, said he has called for the arrest and detention of the officers involved.

More so, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, in a series of tweets on Saturday said the police will not condone any act of misconduct and recklessness on the part of its personnel under his watch.

He announced the arrest of the officers identified as Inspector Ikuesan Taiwo and corporal Abass Ibrahim.

“…The duo are currently being detained and their orderly room trial had since commenced,” the police wrote.

Osun govt, Oluwo React

In her reaction, the Osun State Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode urged the police to include psychiatric evaluation in the process of discipline of the officers.

“This public display of shame and bad upbringing…. How can men in uniform do this to any woman? I’m so totally angry. Like I’ve always said, a man who beats a woman is a sick man. A man who needs psychiatric attention. I implore the Inspector-General of Police to include psychiatric evaluation in the process of discipline of those two human beings in police uniform,” she said.

Also, the Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrosheed Akanbi, said the police are investigating and will take disciplinary measures.

“The act and action of the police against an Iwo woman, Tola Azeez, is condemned. It is unacceptable and barbaric display. Iwo is civilized beyond such incivility.”

“The palace has time immemorial device necessary machinery to ensure the community and the police co-habit peacefully for effective security. I’ve intervened, the police have gone to her place with the DPO of the affected division to tender their apology formally.”

“I urge the citizens to be peaceful and let the matter be handled maturely according to the law in the best interest of the town,” the monarch said in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES.