“The police officers involved in the brutal assault of a commercial motorcyclist in the Abule Egba area of Lagos have been identified and are currently ‘detained’,” confirmed the police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, during a discussion on “Nigerian police officers as perpetrators, victims of harassment” on PREMIUM TIMES Twitter Spaces.
A viral video circulating on Twitter depicted three police officers physically attacking the young man. In the footage, one officer struck him with what appeared to be a metal rod, while another forcefully seized his motorcycle. One of the officers then rode away on the motorcycle, accompanied by the others in a tricycle, leaving the injured motorcyclist bleeding.
While acknowledging that police officers are allowed to use “minimal force” under justifiable circumstances, Mr. Adejobi criticized the officers for their unprofessional behavior. He emphasized that police batons, teasers, and pepper spray are the authorized tools for applying force, questioning whether it was necessary for them to cause injury to the young man.
Mr. Adejobi, in his capacity as the police’s “image manager,” expressed his daily encounters with issues of non-professionalism, brutality, and high-handedness within the force. He attributed these problems to a “social dislocation” that originates from the recruitment process, lamenting that individuals trusted with recommending applicants often betray that trust by endorsing unsuitable candidates.
Describing the presence of “bad eggs” within the police as “pathetic,” Mr. Adejobi stressed that police officers are expected to be above reproach, serving as protectors and angels to the people. He revealed that he handles an average of 80 complaints per day, expressing sadness whenever such “ugly cases” arise.
Regarding incidents of harassment against police officers, Mr. Adejobi advised civilians not to take the law into their own hands. Instead, he urged them to report any wrongdoing to the police for appropriate action. 
