From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, OKon Effiong, has ordered the immediate arrest of the officers found flogging and slapping a man in a viral video.
Effiong’s order came in compliance with the directive from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, that the policemen shown in a viral video harassing and assaulting an unidentified man at the Elibrade junction, in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, should be fished out.
In the video that went viral, an officer was seen flogging and slapping the man, while his (police) colleague faced the man’s female companion forcing her to enter a parked Toyota Corolla. The victim (man) in the video was heard asking the armed policeman if he stole.
The state police boss, in a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), assured Rivers residents that the officers would be investigated and sanctioned accordingly.
He further assured members of the public of the command’s commitment to promoting the rule of law and urged Rivers people to report unprofessional cases of police personnel to the appropriate authority for immediate action. The command said: “As a defender of human rights, the CP assures members of the public that the police officers will be investigated in line with extant rules underlying the conduct of police personnel; and appropriate sanctions meted accordingly.
“The command further assures the good people of Rivers State of its unalloyed commitment to promoting the rule of law. People are enjoined to report cases of human rights abuse and infractions,” through some designated numbers.