Ifeanyi Ibe
There was confusion, shock and wailing in Ekpoma town of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State on Friday when a police patrol team handcuffed a man and overrun him with a Sienna car.
The ugly incident was captured in a viral video. The man is seen in the video handcuffed and laid in front of the police patrol vehicle.
However, the Police in Edo State have released a confirmatory statement in response to the incident.
In the statement, the spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the policemen had been arrested.
According to him, “Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it is aware of the trending video in the 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 indicate that on 29/06/2023 at about 17:00hrs, 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 policemen along Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, Edo State, intercepted a driver of unregistered Lexus car and demanded the vehicle particulars.”
“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 the police vehicle.
“However, he was arrested, handcuffed, and identified as one Success Ehimare before the incident that is currently trending in 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 that he saw in the trending video, and he described their action as barbaric, inhumane, and unprofessional.
“He therefore gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer, Ekpoma to identify, arrest, and bring to the State Police Headquarters Benin for brief and debrief. The officer’s have been arrested, and they are with the State Criminal Investigation Department,” the spokesman said.
