The Nigeria Police Force
has announced the arrest of an officer who was caught on camera harassing a
student for owning an expensive iPhone.
A Twitter user with
username Covenant Buhari (@CovenantBuhari) had posted the 44 seconds video on
Tuesday, April 9, showing the officer picking on the young man for being in
possession of an iPhone X worth N250,000.
In the video, the officer
protested that he can't afford to spend N250,000 on a car despite nearly 14
years in service. He was then filmed picking on someone else in a bus in what
appeared to be a stop-and-search.
"Me, wey I dey work
for over 13 years now, I never see motor buy for N250,000," he said.
A Police statement announced
on Wednesday, April 10, that the officer, a sergeant, has been arrested and
detained in custody.
"Also, orderly trial
has commenced and the preceding will bring out appropriate disciplinary action
on him," the statement read.
The statement further assured
members of the public that the officer's behaviour is not a true reflection of
the Force.
Officers of the Force have
been notorious for widespread abuse of power with public scrutiny growing over
the past couple of years on their conducts with the public.
Earlier this month, an
officer of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SACS) of the Lagos State Police
Command, Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan, shot and killed Kolade Johnson while his
team was carrying out an indiscriminate arrest of a young man believed to have
been targeted due to his dreadlocks. He was sacked from the Force and has been
arraigned in court for murder.
Johnson's killing led to
widespread calls for the implementation of meaningful police reform to curb
harassment and brutality unleashed on helpless citizens. Protests were also
held across many states on Friday, April 5.
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