Anambra State Police Command don arrest di police officer wey appear for viral video threatening to shoot anybody wey dey record am while on duty. Di command don start disciplinary action against di officer, wey dem identify as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Newton Isokpehi, wey dey serve for Anambra State Command.
Di arrest come after di video spread like harmattan fire for social media, especially for X and Instagram, before dem later delete am from di officer TikTok account. For di video, ASP Isokpehi dey speak Pidgin English, warning say if anybody film am for duty, e go shoot dem. E even threaten say any superior wey give order to film police go bury di citizens wey e vow to kill.
Di officer later post another video apologizing, saying im comments come out of frustration. But di police command no waste time; dem quickly review di video, identify and arrest di officer. Di Deputy Commissioner of Police for Finance and Administration, Ngozi Ezeabata, wey release statement on behalf of Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu, confirm say internal disciplinary proceedings don start.
As part of investigation, di officer don undergo drug test. Commissioner Orutugu condemn di conduct, calling am unacceptable and inconsistent with standards of Nigeria Police Force. Di command assure public say di outcome of disciplinary process go be made public, and any officer found guilty go face appropriate sanctions according to law and police regulations.
Meanwhile, Force spokesperson Anthony Placid also release statement, saying di police don summon Isokpehi to Anambra police headquarters. Placid emphasize say recording police officers for duty na legitimate tool for public accountability and transparency, and e no suppose attract harassment. Di Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, don maintain say members of public get right to lawfully record police officers, provided recording no obstruct operations or compromise safety.
Di officer, for im TikTok profile, identify as Newton Isokpehi. For di first video, e dey complain about poor working conditions, saying e don suffer for 26 years for service. E talk say, ‘Monkey de work, Baboon de chop,’ and display scars wey e claim na bullet wounds from operations. E also question why citizens dey film police but no dey film military or State Security Service personnel.
For di apology video, e address Harrison Gwamnishi, a Delta State-based human rights activist, saying im father na soldier and e born and raise for Barrack for Kaduna. E plead for forgiveness, saying e no mean am, but e talk out of annoyance. E say, ‘How can I kill my people?’ and show scars again, claiming e survive operations where 15 out of 17 officers die.
Di incident raise concerns about police accountability. Earlier for March, Federal High Court for Warri, Delta State, rule say Nigerians get constitutional right to record police officers for public. Di Head of Complaint Response Unit of police, Anietie Iniedu, say di judgement go improve policing.
Di Anambra police command commend members of public, civil society organizations, and social media users for drawing attention to di incident, noting say public feedback contribute to accountability and improved policing. Dem encourage residents to continue reporting incidents wey dey undermine public peace and confidence in security agencies.
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