Juliana Francis
A popular comic skit maker, Mr. Debo Adedayo, otherwise known as Mr. Macaroni, has tackled operatives of the Nigeria Police Force for slapping a lawyer, Ridwan Oke, at the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos, who challenged them for flouting traffic law.
Macaroni, who is also an actor and activist, took to his tweeter handle to complain about the manhandling of Oke.
He tweeted: “Nigerian Police! Don’t you guys get tired of oppressing the people? Some officers passed one way at Ebute-Meta, making the gridlock on the road worse. @Ridwanullahii challenged them and next thing na slap! They dragged him and have forcefully taken him to Area C Command! I’m so tired of this wickedness from Police officers all the time. Wetin happen? Why must you people oppress us at any given time? Una Dey pass one way to disturb other road users. Someone asked why and una start to dey brutalise am. Wetin happen gangan?”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, while responding to the comedian, said: “If it really happened as stated, that is bad. I only hope they were not constrained to drive against traffic to quickly respond to a distress call (which is permissible). I spoke with the Area Commander. He has been released. We’ll dig further into what truly transpired.”
Another tweeter user, BenMo@mcweytindey, giving his view on the matter, said: “If they don’t arrive at a crime scene in time naaa we go still say America police dey disappear and appear for crime scene whenever they are being called upon. What if they were heading to a crime scene, asking them why they were following one way is like one trying to slow dem down.”
However, Ehi Chris@realehichris, also buttressed Hundeyin and BenMo@mcweytindey arguments. He said: “The Constitution empowers the police in breaking some laws in cases of emergency like breaking into an apartment without a warrant, arrest without a warrant, etc, challenging them in an emergency is not wise. This is the practice even in the U.S where the police could take a shorter cut.”
The Maverick@MrRowe101seized the opportunity to narrate his encounter with policemen personnel at Alakara near Idi-Oro.
He narrated: “The ones at Alakara near Idi-Oro have made it their life ambition to enforce traffic light rules at Bishop street, Surulere; and once any private motorist mistakenly slips over the white STOP marks on the roads, they’ll swoop on them. They’d use batons to hit all cars, old and new. And the 1D10Ts that hijacked #Endsars thought it was child’s play when people trooped out in droves to protest the high-handedness of these morons in uniform. Nothing changed and may never change because, for them, it’s a default setting to oppress Nigerians. #EndPoliceBrutality.”
