The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and detained some police operatives who were filmed assaulting some passengers in Abia State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The police spokesperson in Abia State, Maureen Chinaka, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
How it happened
An X user, @BuddyJnrrr, narrated that some police operatives without name tags, on Saturday afternoon, flagged down a mini bus he and his brother had boarded.
“They ordered me to step down, which I peacefully did. Immediately, they collected another passenger’s phone and began interrogating him aggressively about what he does for a living,” he said in the X post on Saturday night.
The X user, who claimed to be a student of the Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), said one of the officers later asked him why he was using three phones which prompted him to explain to the officer that he bought the phones.
“Instead of listening, they dragged me, my brother, and another passenger into a nearby bush and started harassing us for absolutely no reason.
“Before we knew what was happening, more officers joined them and they began beating us mercilessly like criminals, even though we were just students who came to ABSU to study and build our future,” he narrated.
“My brother and I sustained serious injuries during the assault. My ear is currently blocked, I can barely hear properly, and it has been bleeding because of the torture we faced in the hands of these officers. My phone screen also got broken.”
He uploaded on the microblogging platform a short video clip which showed one of the officers questioning him for possessing three mobile phones while attempting to confiscate the devices.
Possession of three mobile phones is not against any known law in Nigeria.
The X user said the encounter was one of the “most traumatising moments” in his life, adding that he was deeply pained by the constant threats allegedly made by the officers.
“They said they could shoot us and nothing would happen. They also said they could make sure we never graduate from school.
“Imagine hearing such terrifying words from the same people meant to protect citizens. My only ‘crime’ was owning three mobile phones.
“ABSU students are no longer feeling safe.
Police harassment, intimidation, and extortion around Uturu are becoming unbearable,” he said.
“Students are living in fear every day. We came here for education, not to be brutalized and treated like criminals for no reason.”
Police response and arrest
In response, the Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) announced via an X post on Sunday morning that the officers, from Uturu Divisional Headquarters, have been identified, disarmed and detained.
The CRU said the police in Abia State would respond with updated information.
In the Sunday statement, Ms Chinaka, a deputy superintendent of police, said the police authorities in Abia State were now aware of the incident in Uturu.
“Following the incident, investigation immediately commenced. The complainant was contacted and the officers involved were identified, traced and promptly arrested,” she said.
The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Danladi Isa, has ordered an investigation of the affected officers at the State Criminal Investigation Department for appropriate administrative action.
Mr Isa, according to the statement, has reiterated that the police in the state were committed to professionalism, discipline and civility to the members of the public while discharging her lawful duties.
The police chief also warned that impunity and all forms of misconduct would not be tolerated in line with the Inspector General of Police mandate to ensure a friendly and Human Right-compliant Police Force in the country.
Police brutality, extortion and torture
Allegations of extortion, brutality, torture and extra-judicial against police operatives are not new in Nigeria.
In fact, cases of police brutality, extortion, extrajudicial killings and other unprofessional activities in Nigeria have continued despite sanctions by police authorities, such as dismissal from service.
The latest incident occurred exactly three weeks after a police officer, Nuhu Usman, and three others were filmed publicly shooting the handcuffed man to death in Delta State, South-south Nigeria.
The erring officers were initially arrested over the matter and subsequently transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for disciplinary action but being dismissed after their action was found to have constituted professional misconduct and abuse of office.
Earlier the same month, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Yemi Oyeniyi, ordered the “orderly room trial” of two police officers for allegedly using a Point of Sales Machine to extort motorists inside a police station.
In March, some police officers in Anambra State illegally arrested, tortured and extorted N1.4 million from some Nigerians.
The money was later refunded to the victims following public outrage.
Earlier in March, police in Anambra State arrested and detained six senior officers who allegedly tortured and extorted N200,000 from a trader in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State.
In February, three officers were dismissed over alleged kidnapping, extorting N1.7 million and car snatching in Imo, another state in the South-east.
In January, police operatives shot dead a private motorcyclist in Ebonyi State.
In November 2024, police operatives from the Crack Squad in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State shot dead a labourer and critically injured three others in the state.
A similar incident happened in the same Abakaliki in 2018 when a police officer shot and killed a commercial motorcyclist for allegedly refusing to give him N50 bribe.
In August 2024, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint.
The officers were subsequently arrested after the victim petitioned police authorities.
The police operatives later returned the N3 million to the victim, about three weeks later