Nigerians on X formerly known as Twitter have voiced strong reactions following a statement from the Osun State Police Command regarding an alleged incident of police brutality against an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and some residents in the state capital, Osogbo.
Osun Defender had earlier reported that Police officers allegedly the Civil Defence Officer at Elizabeth Estate in Osogbo.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Wednesday morning around 9:30am when uninformed police personnel attempted to apprehend a fraudster suspect within the estate but the NSCDC officer at the entrance gate denied them access because they were not in uniform and they also came in a private car.
It was further gathered that the police officers went back to mobilize other men in uniform and also came with a Police Van to forcefully gain entrance into the Estate by assaulting the said NSCDC Officer who was reportedly taken to the State’s CID and has been detained since then.
Findings revealed that some residents of the estate were also allegedly attacked by the Police officers in which one of the residents sustained injuries on his head.
However, Yemisi Opalola, police spokesperson in Osun State in a statement on Friday disclosed that the policemen came from Oyo State on investigation activities to the estate to arrest a suspected criminal.
She added that the civil defence personnel guarding the place prevented them from arresting the criminal and in the process; beat up and injured two police officers and deflated the tyres of their vehicle.
“The Osun State Police Command wishes to inform the general public and set the record straight that: Policemen came from Oyo State on investigation activities to an Estate in Osogbo to arrest a suspected criminal, they met Civil defence personnel guarding the place who prevented them from arresting the criminal and in the process; beat-up and injured two police officers and deflated the tires of their vehicle.
“The Policemen thereafter called for reinforcement from the nearest Division around the place. Upon arrival of the reinforcement, the Policemen were rescued and one of the Civil Defence personnel who assaulted the Police officers and prevented them from performing their lawful duty was arrested and taken to State CID for investigation.”
“Investigation is continuing, please,” she added.
Reacting to the statement which was posted on Osun State Police Command X page on Friday evening, Netizens raised questions about the legitimacy of the police actions, questioning why the officers allegedly conducted the arrest without proper identification, a warrant, or coordination with local NSCDC officials.
One Twitter user, @Biodrizzy, voiced frustration over the alleged disregard for protocol, stating, “You want to arrest a said criminal in an estate guarded by an officer from a sister organization, and you didn’t think it through to follow protocol by requesting cooperation through his direct boss or, at the very least, a warrant.” The user emphasized that proper procedure would have been essential in ensuring the collaboration of both agencies.
Another user, @TayoOdutuyo, questioned the legality of the officers’ actions: “They came from Oyo State to arrest someone in Osun State without the presence of officers in Osun State (isn’t that illegal)? They came in mufti, in a private car, and didn’t provide any ID.”
See reactions below;
@9janarrative: This is unprofessional, he has a boss and moreover you could have presented a warrant instead of using brute force as such.
@Biodrizzy: How about you post the arrest warrant for evidence? Moreover, I’d like to think the civil defence officer has a boss? What happened to contacting them and following protocol. You cannot treat a fellow officer from a sister organization like a civilian. You want to arrest a said criminal in an estate that’s guarded by an officer from a sister organization and you didn’t think it through to follow protocol by requesting the cooperation of officer through his direct boss or at the very least a warrant. Sighs. What a shame. This should have been a join investigation if your claims are right. Following protocol would have made your work easier but your boys would rather act like thugs as usual. Then you’d come here to pain them saint. If your your boys were there lawfully, why were they in mofty in their first visit? The civil defence has every right to prevent their entry especially when he didn’t get any memo from his boss and your boys most likely didn’t show him a warrant.
@Caseysunkie: You’re cursed with lies
@biodunfad: why do U lie so blatantly, d NSCDC officer prevented ur officers from arresting a criminal, beat up two police officers and deflated the tires of ur vehicle? d same vehicle U used in conveying him to your station? Did U go with a vulcanizer who helped reinflate your vehicle?
@heykaymovich: When you are less busy, kindly take your time to read what you posted… You don’t have to do this in a rush. Thanks.
@AfeezAdemola_1: Are the police officers that came to arrest someone with an arrest warrant?
Are they in uniform for proper identification?
Why can’t they contact the @official_NSCDC Osun state to inform the officer that was guardng the Estate entrance to allow them free entrance into the Estate?
@TayoOdutuyo: They came from OYO state to arrest someone in OSun state without the presence of officers in OSun state (isn’t that illegal)??
They came in mufti
They came in private car
They didn’t provide any iD. Walahi @NPF_Osun_State aiye yin ti baje..!!
@Habatovation1: So a policeman came from Oyo state to osun state and they meet a security personal at gate entrance why not them show those security arrest warrant.. Abi na from Oyo state that’s why a policemen wearing buba and sokoto…..How about your people in osogbo here harrasing people
@femstic09: Obstructing a police officer from performing his or her lawful duties is illegal and punishable under the federal republic of Nigeria law. Be familiar with your constitution ahbeg
However, speaking on the incident in a statement on Friday, the NSCDC PRO in Osun, Kehinde Adeleke confirmed that the officer has been released on Friday after he had been made to undergo more humiliating treatment allegedly by the policemen.
Adeleke said the management of the NSCDC Osun called for investigation into the matter and bring perpetrators to book.
While giving the report on the incident, Adeleke said, “A disturbing incident of barbaric police brutality occurred on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, around 8pm, at Elizabeth Estate in Osogbo, Osun State, when a group of individuals claiming to be police officers in “ANKARA ” cloth with only jacket on top, drove recklessly into the estate with a private sienna vehicle, entered the estate, which is secured by the personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command, to purportedly arrest a suspect.
“The personnel of NSCDC on duty, as trained officers, requested for means of identification which the individuals who claimed to be policemen failed to provide. Instead the resorted to intimidations and raining incentives on the NSCDC personnel on duty as well as the Corps in general. After their failure to identify themselves they left the premises of the estate.
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“The situation escalated the following day, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, when a group of police numbering about 20 drove into the estate and descended on one NSCDC personnel, physically assaulting him and inflicting grevious bodily harm on him. The video of the incident is attached to the statement.
“The officer’s uniform was torn, he was brutalized beyond description, disarmed, handcuffed like a common criminal, and forcefully taken to Ataoja Division before being moved to the Police State Headquarters.
“Efforts to resolve the issue amicably were made by a NSCDC team of senior officers, who visited the Police Headquarters. However, the police refused to release the detained NSCDC personnel, saying the officer. They concocted unfounded lies of deflation of their vehicle tyres. When the team asked if the same vehicle was still at the scene, they said no, then the questions we asked if any vulcanizer fix the tyres. “No” was the answer. The team also demanded if the vehicle was towed. The answer was also negative. The big question then is how did the vehicle that conveyed the policemen leave the incident scene?
“Unfortunately, despite assurances by the police team that immediately NSCDC confirmed the identity of the officer in their custody, he would be released, a confirmation letter was taken to police state headquarters, yet they never released him since Wednesday 23rd October, 2024. He was just released this afternoon, today Friday, 25th, after he had been made to undergo more humiliating treatment in the hands of policemen on duty.
“The management of NSCDC, Osun State Command, therefore, calls for thorough investigation into the matter and bring perpetrators to book. We demand there should be no sacred cow in the matter, and we are not going to allow the matter to be swept under the rug.”
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
