Viral Vidoe: IGP Summons Officers For Running Vehicle Over Handcuffed Man .As Nigerians Cry Out For Justice

As millions of Nigerians react in anger over a viral vidoe showing police officers running vehicle over a handcuffed man, the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, has directed the police team in Ekpoma, Edo State, to report to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Egbetokun, while reacting to the viral video of the incident which occurred on Thursday, June 29, 2023, in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, ordered the police officers to report to the Force Headquarters on Monday, July 3, for further action.

The IGP, however, enjoined Nigerians, particularly the people of Ekpoma, to remain calm, saying the present leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will not condone such “an act of unprofessionalism and illegality”.

Earlier, the university town of Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State was on Thursday evening jolted as a team of policemen with their official vehicle (a black Sienna bus, provided by the Edo State Government) ran over a handcuffed middle-aged man who was earlier asked to lie down by the policemen.

The trending video, which surfaced on Friday morning, showed people gathered, apparently watching the handcuffed man on the floor infront of the police vehicle, before the driver moved, crushing and dragging him on the ground for over 100meters, while ignoring shouts from the crowd.

The incident triggered uproar from the crowd, but the angry crowd was quickly dispersed by gunshots from the policemen.

Responding, the Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, in a press statement, said the policemen have been arrested, adding that Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dankwara has called for calm.

The statement reads in part: “Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it’s aware of the trending video on social media that shows some police officers with a Sienna vehicle used for police patrol that ran over a young man who was handcuffed.

“The facts of the incident as gathered preliminarily indicates that on 29/06/2023, at about 1700hrs, ASP Magdalene Osayande reported at Ekpoma Divisional Police Headquarters, Ekpoma, Edo State, that while on routine stop and search duty with her team of six (6) policemen along Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, Edo State, intercepted a driver of unregistered Lexus car and demanded for the vehicle particulars.”

The statement also said that, “Along the line, he became aggressive and refused to oblige the request of the police operatives, but rather attacked them, inflicted injuries on them, and destroyed police vehicle.

“However, he was arrested, handcuffed, and identified as one Success Ehimare before the incident that is currently trending on social media occurred. He was later taken to Irrua Specialist Hospital for treatment, and he is in good health condition.

"In light of the above, CP Mohammed Adamu Dankwara has condemned the action of the policemen seen in the trending video, and described it as barbaric, inhumane and unprofessional.

"He, therefore, gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ekpoma to identify, arrest, and bring the officers to the State Police Headquarters, Benin for brief and debrief. The officers had so been arrested, and they are with the State Criminal Investigation Department."