The police in Imo State say they have got begun investigation right into a viral video appearing an officer assaulting a person alongside the Owerri–Orlu Street within the state.
The police spokesperson within the state, Henry Okoye, mentioned in a commentary on Wednesday that the incident came about on Tuesday.
The viral clip
The video clip, which has now long past viral on social media, confirmed the armed officer assaulting the sufferer whilst his fellow officials attempted to restrain him.
The officer was once therefore observed making an attempt to cock his rifle whilst pointing it on the guy.
The person, a motorist, later informed the officer’s colleagues that the officer stopped him to test his car paperwork after which demanded “gasoline cash”, which he declined, prompting the officer to descend on him.
‘We’ve recognized the officer’
In Wednesday’s commentary, Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, mentioned the police within the state have recognized the officer as Gabriel Utuh, an assistant superintendent of police.
The spokesperson mentioned the officer was once the workforce chief of the Speedy Reaction Squad patrol workforce deployed alongside the Owerri–Orlu Street within the state.
“The cases surrounding the incident are being totally investigated, and suitable disciplinary measures might be taken in opposition to any erring officer,” he mentioned.
Mr Okoye confident citizens of Imo State that the investigation could be “thorough, independent and guided by way of the rules of duty and professionalism.”
He dropped a cell phone quantity and steered the sufferer to touch the Command’s Criticism Reaction Unit to lend a hand with the continuing investigation.
The spokesperson mentioned the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Bosso, has reiterated the command’s 0 tolerance for unprofessional behavior, abuse of authority, and violations of electorate’ elementary rights.
The police leader additionally reaffirmed the command’s dedication to duty, self-discipline, and professionalism.
Now not the primary time
Circumstances of police brutality, extortion, extrajudicial killings and different unprofessional actions in Nigeria have persisted in spite of sanctions by way of police government, similar to dismissal from carrier.
The most recent incident passed off lower than 3 weeks after the police government ordered the arrest and detention of a police inspector and two team of workers of the Imo State Civil Guard Corps over alleged extortion within the state.
Six months in the past, the police in Anambra State arrested and detained six senior officials who allegedly tortured and extorted N200,000 from a dealer in Onitsha, the economic hub of the South-eastern state.
In February, 3 officials had been dismissed over alleged kidnapping, extorting N1.7 million and automotive snatching in Imo, every other state within the South-east.
Ultimate January, police operatives shot dead a personal motorcyclist in Ebonyi State.
In November 2024, police operatives from the Crack Squad in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, shot dead a labourer and seriously injured 3 others within the state.
A identical incident happened in the similar Abakaliki in 2018 when a police officer shot and killed a industrial motorcyclist for allegedly refusing to present him a N50 bribe.
In August 2024, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian guy at gunpoint.
The sufferer later petitioned police government, and the officials had been arrested.
The police operatives later returned the N3 million to the sufferer, about 3 weeks later.
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