Police authorities have explained the circumstances surrounding a video circulating on social media showing a suspected criminal handcuffed to a patrol vehicle in Benin-City, Edo State.
According to the police, no one was dragged by a patrol vehicle as insinuated in the video.
Clarifications were made in a statement received by Newsmakersng from the officer in charge of Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), ACP Abayomi Shogunle.
The statement reads in part: “The Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) has initiated an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident including the police operations that led to the viral video showing a suspect handcuffed to a stationary police patrol vehicle in Benin-City, Edo State on Sunday 14th May, 2017.
“It is important to state that there is no frame in the 1:34″ video in circulation on various social media platforms that shows anyone being dragged by a police patrol vehicle as insinuated.
“Preliminary #PCRRU investigation reveals that on Sunday 14.05.2017 at about 9:30am, the Police at Esigie Division in Benin-City, Edo State, received an information regarding congregation of suspected cultists in preparatory to the commissioning of a felony. Based on the information, police team was dispatched to the scene where two male persons were arrested while others took to their heels. Upon a search on the person of the suspect seen handcuffed to the vehicle in the video some quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and powder, suspected to be cocaine, were found on him. Both arrested suspects were then loaded into the patrol vehicle and secured accordingly to prevent escape during transportation to the Police station.
“At a point along Sopkonba Road, Benin-City a crowd tried to prevent the free passage of the patrol vehicle transporting the suspects. That in the process one of the suspects (one seen in the video) tried to escape by jumping off the back of the open pick-up patrol van but was restrained by the handcuff attaching him to the vehicle.
“Reinforcement was called, and the suspects were eventually taken to the station.
“Both arrested suspects including the one seen in the video (on the Right in photo) are the ones in the attached photo, there is no sign of bodily injury on them.”
In the statement, Shogunle called on members of the public who might have witnessed the incident or have information other than what is already in public domain to “please turn up at the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5 Benin-City where detailed investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding events that led to the video and allegations made therein”.
He added, “The Nigeria Police Force under IGP Ibrahim Idris NPM, mni is determined to ensure that rights of every suspect is protected at all times. The public is assured that proven case of abuse of powers by any police officer(s) would attract sanctions.
“As we await the outcome of the investigations by the AIG Zone 5 Benin-City, members of the public are enjoined to always cooperate with Nigeria Police Force units, as police officers are out to ensure the protection of their lives and properties.”
Here is the video that sparked the social media outburst: https://youtu.be/5ChB-SfqJi4
Meanwhile, members of the public were reminded in the statement that bail is free. Shogunle urged them to always say No to impunity.
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