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Cases of police brutality has become almost a daily occurence across the country. Rarely will a day pass without reports of police misdeeds hitting the headlines. On several occasions, policemen had been accused of molestation and some policemen had even been accused of robbery. In actual fact, a police officer was last week sentenced to death by hanging for committing murder against an innocent sachet-water seller. The police is supposed to be friends of the citizens, but recent acts of violence perpetrated by the police on the populace makes it very difficult for many members of the society to accept that fact. Many Nigerians rather see the police as enemy and not as friend.

Another case of police brutality was recorded on Monday, September 29, in Lagos state. It was gathered that police officers attached to the Area C command, Surulele, allegedly apprehended, detained and tortured a son of an Imo monarch.

Kelvin Ekeh, the son of Eze George Ekeh, the traditional ruler of the Ubomiri clan in Imo state, went shopping in Yaba, Lagos, in preparation for resuming studies at the Redeemer’s University, when the incident happened.

Kelvin said that the police officers bundled him into their bus, beat him up when he resisted attempts to force him to make self-incriminating statements, and later detained him in the same cell as hardened criminals. According to him, the police detectives also took the N50,000 which his father sent to him for the errands.

“I was stripped naked, slapped several times, while my phone was seized and I was forced to write a statement under duress and was eventually detained for hours, before I was released,” he added. When Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police (IGP), was notified about Kelvin’s arrest, he directed to start a thorough investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, a source at Area C police command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, identified one Nwanne Uba as one of the police officers who was detailed to keep security in check at the bus-stop on that day. Eze George Ekeh called on the IGP to investigate the matter, find those who committed the crime and bring them to book.

Unfortunately, cases of police brutality are not rare in Nigeria. Just recently, a drunk police officer was caught on camera exchanging blows with a young lady in Lekki area of Lagos. Two months ago, three police officers attacked an eight-month pregnant woman in Lagos. As a result of the assault, the victim had complications and lost her newborn baby.

The Police IG had however stated that he would not take lightly to issues of this nature being perpetrated by men and officers of the Nigerian police. He had insisted that any such case will be handled decisively.

Members of the public have expressed concerns over the activities of the Nigerian police. Many Nigerians seem to have lost confidence in them. In a recent public declaration, Olusegun Mimiko, the executive governor of Ondo State stated that people would feel safer when protected by OPC than the Nigerian police.