Police explain brutality in viral video of arrested suspect

The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, has reacted to a viral video circulating on social media where police officers from Igando division violently arrested a suspect, 28-year-old Stephen Ade.

The video featured a police officer pushing a young man into their van, following his arrest last Friday. In a statement yesterday, the spokesperson said the video was “carefully edited by the sender to remove the barrage of insults the suspect hauled on the police officer in the presence of civilians.”

According to the police spokesman, “the inspector captured in the video is Stephen Inumanu, attached to Igando Police Station, Lagos. He was deployed on a routine stop and search duty on September 18 around 1:15p.m. with two other team members, at Isuti Road in Egan area, Lagos.

“While on duty, the team sighted two nervous young men who took to their heels for the unexpected presence of policemen, but the team gave them a fierce chase and one Stephen Ade, aged 28, threw a micro wallet to his partner, who escaped in another direction. Then, two of the policemen chased the escapee but to no avail.

“In the spirit of cooperation, Inspector Stephen Inumama was assisted by two spirited civilians (members of the public) who witnessed the episode, chased and arrested the said Stephen Ade, who practically refused arrest as captured in the video, but with the aid of the members of the public, he was subdued with the use of minimum force, without assault whatsoever, from the arm bearing inspector.

“The command wishes to state categorically that the trending video was borne out of mischief to discredit the collective image of the police by folks who are uncomfortable with police presence or visibility of officers on the road or around them, regardless of how courteous.

“Without mincing words, the video was carefully edited by the sender to remove barrage of insults the suspect hauled on the police officer in the presence of civilians, as customary of mischief-makers.

“The command therefore urges the general public to regard the video as baseless and calculated attempt to malign the efforts of the Nigeria Police in maintaining law and order in the society; while the command reiterates its commitment to discharging its duties with diligence, human feelings and respect for the rule of law and human rights,” the statement added. Meanwhile, it was gathered that after investigation, the suspect was released to his mother and members of the family same day without delay.