The avictim was initially arrested for 'assault' and accused of using a yet-to-be-identified object to stab a policeman in the head.
The police in Delta State, south-south Nigeria, say they have launched an investigation into the report of a man allegedly stabbed by policemen in the Warri South Area of the state.
This was made known in a statement signed by the state police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, who noted that the alleged victim was initially arrested for 'assault' and accused of using a yet-to-be-identified object to stab a policeman in the head.
Edafe explained that the alleged victim, identified as Mr. Diwenrenenagha, was suspected to be drunk. He added that Diwenrenenagha resisted being taken into custody for the alleged offence committed.
The statement reads in part, "The Command is aware of a report making rounds in some sections of the media on the above subject matter. The Command wishes to state that it is not entirely true as it is being reported.
“However, for avoidance of doubt and for the public to be well intimated on what truly transpired, the Command wishes to state as follows;
"On 8/7/2023, about 0115 hours, policemen attached to ‘A’ division Warri arrested and brought the said Mr. Diwenrenenagha to the police station after an altercation with a police officer who was at that time off duty.
"The suspect was arrested over an alleged offence of assault occasioning harm where he allegedly used a yet-to-be-identified object to stab the policeman in the head at a hotel in the barracks opposite the Warri Area Command office at about 0030hours.
"However, the said Mr. Diwenrenenagha who was suspected to be drunk at the time fervently resisted being taken into custody for the alleged offence where he fought with policemen at the police station during which himself and two other policemen sustained injuries which include bite from the complainant.
“The Police took him and the other injured police officer to the hospital.
"The Commissioner of Police CP Wale Abass psc, on receipt of the complaint from the said Mr. Diwenrenenagha that policemen stabbed him, immediately directed the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri to carry out a discreet investigation to ascertain what truly transpired and if indeed the police used any object on the complainant.
"The CP wishes to reiterate that It’s not in the character of the Command to trample on the rights of citizens. He assures members of the public that the officers concerned if found culpable will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the extant laws as stipulated in the Police Act and regulations to serve as a deterrent to others.”