The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, on Monday, ordered the immediate arrest of an unnamed policeman who was seen in a viral video assaulting an unidentified motorist at Elibrade Junction in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement that, “The policeman has been arrested and now in detention.
“Two of them (operatives) were seen in the viral video. The one that used the whip on the man has been arrested.”
The viral video seen by our correspondent showed a moment when the policeman holding a rifle on his left hand, used a stick in his right hand to beat a motorist, who was with a woman. After hitting the man with the stick, the policeman followed with two slaps to the man’s face, while ordering him to get into his car.
The unidentified man kept asking: ‘Did I steal?’ while a female voice was heard in the background, telling the man: ‘Come let’s go’.
The offence of the man being assaulted could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
In an earlier statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Iringe-Koko,had said the commissioner of police assured members of the public that the police officers would be investigated and appropriate sanctions would follow.
“Following the identification of the policemen shown in a viral video harassing and assaulting an unidentified man at Elibrade Junction, Emohua, the Rivers State Command Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, has ordered the immediate arrest of the officers.
“As a defender of human rights, the CP assures members of the public that the police officers will be investigated in line with extant rules underlying the conduct of police personnel; and appropriate sanctions meted out, accordingly.
“The command further assures the good people of Rivers State of its unalloyed commitment to promoting the rule of law. People are enjoined to report cases of human rights abuse and infractions through the following numbers in the public domain.”
