The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu has redeployed CSP Francis Ani, the Divisional Police Officer of Onipanu Division and some of his officers for the harassment and illegal detention of an activist, Tunde Abass and one Kabir Mohammed.
Tunde was arrested on Sunday by officers attached to the police division for filming them in operation.
In a video live-streamed on his Facebook account, a policeman was seen trying to harass a young man driving a wine-coloured car.
Tunde was heard shouting at the top of his voice and telling the police officer not to harass the man because “he has provided necessary documents”.
“You’re trying to intimidate the guy. They’ve burst his tyres. They’ve burst the guy’s tyres. They’re trying to intimidate the guy,” he had said.
The police officer was also heard addressing the man he was said to be harassing as “stupid”. But Tunde approached him to say “this is injustice”.
A source said the the activist was severely tortured and dehumanised by the policemen when he was in detention.
SaharaReporters gathered that Ani, who is said to be notorious for brutalising citizens, also disregarded a court order that Tunde should be released.
Police Public Relations Officer, Adejobi Olumuyiwa in a statement on Thursday said the commissioner had ordered all policemen involved in the unprofessional act to be tried in orderly room in order to award punishments accordingly, and that the DPO had been redeployed to the State Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
The statement read, “Tunde Abass was alleged by the police at Onipanu Division for recording the harassment and forceful arrest of Kabir Mohammed at Onipanu Area of the State on Friday, 19th March, 2021 at about 5pm after Tunde’s intervention in the case which did not go well with the policemen.
“The Commissioner of Police has condemned such act of unprofessionalism and excessive use of power to send a signal to the whole world that the command will not, for whatever reason, condone such act; and to serve as a deterrent to other policemen who are fond of harassing, extorting and engaging in acts of lawlessness, unprofessionalism and gross violation of poeoles human rights in the state.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu has also ordered that the concerned policemen in the unprofessional act be tried orderly room in order to award punishments accordingly, while the DPO be redeployed to the State Command Headquarters, Ikeja.”
