Two police officers, attached to Iwo Division, who brutally assaulted a woman, identified as Alimat Adesola Abdulazeez at Odo-Ori market in Iwo during the enforcement of the lockdown last Friday have been arrested and detained for their unprofessional acts.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Osun State Police Command, DSP Yemisi Opalola, which was forwarded to the Nigerian Tribune in Osogbo on Sunday.
This was just as the state government decried the assault, captured on a video that had gone viral on social media.
Reacting to the development in a release endorsed by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Osun State government said: “We Staternment condemn this act and hereby states unequivocally that the two Police Officers, identified as Inspector Ikuesan Taiwo with AP NO 251724 and PC Abass Ibrahim with Force No. 509634, went overboard in the discharge of their duties.”
The release reads thus: this is a democracy, and Osun State is a decent society where men in or out of uniform should not and cannot whimsically flog women – even men. We note that police authorities have condemned the unwarranted actions of these men. The state government likewise condemn the unacceptable conduct of these policemen.”
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“Osun State government hereby warns all that no one is licensed under the law to harass, assault, batter or visit violence on any citizen, men, and women. It is especially reprehensible when the victim is a helpless lady who is not known to have offended the law in any way.”
But, the Police in a statement by its PPRO hinted that “the Commissioner of Police, Mr Babatunde Kokumo has identified, arrested, and detained erring Policemen involved in the unlawful assault. They are Inspector IKUESAN Taiwo with AP/NO. 251724 and PC ABASS Ibrahim with F/NO. 509634. The defaulters are currently facing force disciplinary procedure of orderly room trial for their unprofessional conduct.”
The CP reiterates that the Osun State Police command will not condone any act of discreditable conduct and reckless incivility to the member(s) of the public on the part of its personnel. He commends the response of the victim and her family.”
“In line with the community policing philosophy of the Inspector-General of Police IGP Muhammed Abubakar Adamu, the CP enjoins the good people of Osun State to continue to cooperate with the Police command as he assures justice and fairness in the matter”, the statement concluded.
and then