By Christopher Oji
Following the order by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Akali Baba, to Lagos State Police Commissioner, Idowu Owohunwa, to fish out Seun Kuti over his assault on a police officer, the musician may have gone into hiding.
A senior police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the police have stepped up a manhunt for the musician,” but, so far, he has gone into hiding”.
The senior police officer said going into hiding would not help Kuti because there is no hiding place for him.
“We will exhaust all avenues before we will unleash our tactical units to track him and pick him. We shall drop a letter of invitation to him. He may decide to honour it or not; the choice is his, because the IGP has given the order for his arrest and there is no going back.”
Another senior police officer, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “I am sure Seun Kuti never knew people would record and share the scene in that manner. The man who made the video was saying, ‘This is a good story too!’ What Seun did is archaic and uncivil. In sociology, it is called taboo. In psychology, it’s called an abnormality.
In a religious setting, it’s called a sin, and in the security world (legal), it’s a crime. So, anyhow, the act has been condemned physically and spiritually.”
Effort to speak with the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, on the matter proved abortive as he did not pick his calls.
Kuti had boasted that he was ready for police investigation on the matter, saying that the policeman had placed his life and that of his family in danger, adding that he had necessary evidence to prove his allegation against the police officer.
However, Nigerian singer, Peter Okoye of P-Square has apologised to the police on behalf of his colleague in the music industry, Kuti, over the incident. Okoye also appealed to the police to temper justice with mercy over Kuti’s action, whose video went viral. Since yesterday morning, the police have stepped up a manhunt for Kuti.