Juliana Francis
The Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi said that a 28-year-old cleric, Ahmed Atidade, caught in a viral video threatening to kill Policemen attached to the Safer Highway Unit of the Oyo State Police Command, has been arrested and charged to court.
Adejobi explained that the policemen on Saturday 4th February 2023, while on stop and search duty along Ibadan Express Road, Oyo State, were threatened by the Atidade, after the policemen stopped his vehicle for routine checks and questioning.
Adejobi added: “He was subsequently arrested and charged to Court on Thursday 9th February 2023. We shall not allow any individual to undermine and ridicule our officers and, by extension, our policing system in Nigeria.
“We have a lot of responsibilities as citizens of this country to respect our law enforcement officers who work day and night to make ensure the security of our nation. We will do everything possible to defend our officers who carry out their duties diligently and legally from being harassed or attacked by any individual or group of persons.”
Earlier, Oyo State Police Command stated: “Preliminary investigation reveals that towards the build-up to the 2023 General Elections, strategic security measures were emplaced to comprehensively cater to the yearnings of residents, with a view to maintaining the level of relative tranquility in the State.
“To this effect, there were coordinated Joint Patrols, surveillance of critical assets/persons of interest, intelligence-led raids of black spots and Flashpoints inclusive strategic Stop and Search duties within and outside roads, highways and around all boundaries leading in and out of the State
“On the day in question, the duo of AP No 186851 Inspr Adefisoye Emmanuel and AP No 300750 Abdukmalik Hassan attached to the Safer Highway Unit, under the Operations Department of the Command dutifully flagged down an Unregistered Heavily Tinted Toyota Camry vehicle for routine Search.
“In a rather surprising turn of events, the driver of the vehicle-a cleric-, vehemently resisted the instruction and instead charged towards the Officers, hurling all sorts of despicable utterances at them in a bid to incite a violent reaction.
“He further exacerbated the situation by threatening to snuff life out of the Officers by all means necessary boasting of his family pedigree, connections, and deep-rooted antecedents in the State.
“Consequent on the above, he was apprehended and arraigned on Thursday 09/02/2022 at an Ibadan Magisterial district court of competent jurisdiction on a Four-count Charge including but not limited to “Threat to Life” amongst others.
“The Matter was subsequently adjourned for further hearing on Friday, 28th of April 2022.”
