The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, made this known in a statement issued on Monday.
The Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command has detained one of its officers identified as Sergeant Samuel Imakor, for slapping a young woman identified as Mercy Ajayi, at the police station.
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, made this known in a statement issued on Monday.
Nwabuzor stated that "The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it’s aware of a video trending of a young woman slapped by a policeman at the police station.
“The erring policeman has been identified as a Police Sergeant, F/NO. 505450 Sgt Samuel Imakor attached to Iruekpen Police Station, Edo State.
“The police sergeant, who was arrested and brought to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State on Monday, February 11, 2024 by his Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for debriefing, confessed to the CP that he truly slapped the young woman who he identified as Mercy Ajayi, but later advanced his defence against the young woman on the fact that she slapped him in the vehicle during the process of her arrest, adding that she was arrested in connection with the offence of stealing of human hair from a hotel department.
“In view of the above, the Commissioner of Police Edo State, CP Funsho Adegboye, ordered for his arrest and the immediate disciplinary procedure, known as an orderly room trial, to be set up urgently against him by the Command’s Provost Marshal.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while reacting to the incident, condemned the unprofessional conduct of the police officer and said, “I have said it severally that policemen are not trained to slap, use horse whip or stick to flog people.
“Even if it’s compulsory to apply minimum force while on duty, the police have the required accouterments and gadgets to use to apply that minimum force as described by our law.”