A civic group under the umbrella of Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN), has called for the immediate release of the detained Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti.
Seun is being detained by the police for allegedly physically assaulting a police officer in uniform as captured in a viral video.
The group made the call in a statement by its Secretary, Dammy Owot, describing Seun’s detention as unjust, unnecessary, illegal and victimisation.
The WYSN argued that the alleged case of physical assault by Seun does not warrant his public parade, home searches and prolonged detention. It, therefore, condemned Seun’s detention, assault and abuse of the legal process.
The group said, “The refusal of the police to comply with the court ruling on Tuesday, May 17, appears to be a deliberate attempt to seek revenge against Mr. Seun Kuti for his past involvement in struggles against police brutality. We denounce the Nigerian Police's ploy to deny Kuti's release on bail.
“We strongly oppose the prolonged nature of Kuti’s detention, despite him voluntarily cooperating with the police for the investigation. His alleged offense does not justify these excessive measures.
“The incident on the Third Mainland Bridge, captured in a short video clip of less than 2 minutes, shows a disagreement between Mr. Seun Kuti and a policeman on an unknown issue, leading to a physical altercation.
“However, the video clip does not provide context for what transpired before or after the incident. While we do not condone assault or violence towards any citizen, we believe that the mistreatment and abuse of power by the Nigerian Police in this case are unwarranted.
“We assert that the resources and efforts of the Nigerian Police should be directed towards addressing the hundreds of terrorists, armed robbers, serial killers, bandits, and gunmen who continue to terrorize the general population on a daily basis.”
The group noted that the situation demands that people hold the Nigeria Police accountable, adding that it is evident that the “Nigeria Police are more interested in seeking revenge than addressing the real issues”.
“The Nigerian Police, through their statement on Twitter, justified the practice of taking pictures of suspects for record purposes. However, we question why these pictures were publicly shared and sent to various media outlets. Perhaps, this was done to create an atmosphere of fear among the youth who have been victims of police brutality and are tirelessly fighting against it.
“Furthermore, we strongly object to the release of a supposed "investigation report" by Mr. Hundeyin that convicts Mr. Seun Kuti, as only the court has the authority to convict a suspect.
“Mr. Kuti should be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The actions of the police in the past few days have been unlawful and raise concerns about the safety of Mr. Seun Kuti while in police custody.
“Moreover, we vehemently oppose the police's decision to subject Mr. Kuti to a media parade. This action directly violates Section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which explicitly prohibits any form of suspect parade in Lagos State, Nigeria.
“As if these transgressions were not enough, the police secretly obtained a four-day detention order from the court without informing Mr. Seun Kuti's lawyer.
“Additionally, after conducting a search of Mr. Seun Kuti's house, the police proceeded to the Yaba Magistrate Court to obtain an order for a blood test on Mr. Kuti! These actions are totally unacceptable!”