Popular Nigerian artist Falz the Bahd Guy and other celebrities have condemned violence against police officers while highlighting the Police Force’s current issues.
The celebs reacted after the arrest of their colleague Seun Kuti after he assaulted a police officer.
An order was made for the arrest of Kuti, a Grammy-nominated saxophonist, and singer, on Saturday after a viral video showed him on a road, shouting, pushing, and hitting a police officer, police said.
Folarin Falana best known as Falz condemned assaulting a police officer, the rapper spoke directly to the Inspector-General of Police on his Instagram post, telling him to apply the same zest the force used arresting Seun Kuti to prosecute erring police officers who assault citizens too.
The actor and activist also hinted that the policeman was drunk, a scenario he described as regular for the people of the force.
He wrote: Nobody can deny that it is wrong to hit a policeman. For mischief seekers, read that first sentence again.
However, these other videos are from the other side of the spectrum. This is not the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth time.
We see cases like these very regularly & most of the time absolutely nothing is done to the perpetrators.
Before ENDSARS. After ENDSARS. Still very much ongoing.
When do we pause to actually address the root cause of all these issues – THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE
As we await confirmation on what actually led to the Seun Kuti reaction, we all know it’s not strange in Nigeria to see a drunk policeman.
We all know they constantly endanger lives and property
We all know they rob and extort at gunpoint
We know they continue to maim and brutalize
We all know they conduct extra-judicial killings
Mr Inspector-General, IS THIS HOW POLICING IS DONE?
The speed wey una take arrest & charge @bigbirdkuti , you no go use am do something about this overly dysfunctional police 🤮
I Was Raised By An Officer But Not That Kind – Vector
Award-winning rapper Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, also known as Vector, who has firsthand experience with his father being a police officer, gave his two cents on social media that the assaulted police officer may have been inebriated and almost ran the car Seun Kuti and his family were in off the road.
He wrote: I may never understand the reaction of a man who says he was driving with his wife and only child in the car when an intoxicated officer driving behind almost ran the car they were all in off the road.
Yes, I was raised by an officer but not that kind; You will never get the chance to be rude with him talk less of raising a hand… NEVER! Ask about Ogunmefun… anyways, 48hrs no be forever. @bigbirdkuti I Dey wait for the yarns when you comot.
Also commenting on Falana’s post, Ogunmefun said, “The frustrating nature of work and living conditions may be why the officers are depressed in the first instance.
The barracks and the conditions they are in will hardly give anyone (officer or family) a sense of self-value. The entire Police Force’s welfare is horrible; now imagine the children growing up within such an environment and then joining society later.”
Actor and reality TV star Elozonam Ogbolu also commented, saying, “Everything you said here is right. It’s wrong to hit the police, but while we are addressing this issue..let’s address police brutality as well! Cos it’s madness.”
BBNaija season 4 winner Mercy Eke said she got emotional when she saw the clips saying, “Weldon, I won’t talk about my ugly encounter with the Nigerian police .. for @bigbirdkuti to retaliate his life must have been in danger… this Nigerian police have no human regard for man and woman. I cried while watching those slides gosh.”
He turned himself in early on Monday to the headquarters of the Lagos state police command, accompanied by a lawyer and a family representative, a police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said on Twitter.
“He has been placed under arrest in line with the law,” he said.
“The ongoing investigation will be detailed, transparent, professionally pursued and justice will be manifestly served for all parties involved.”
Kuti, 40, is the youngest son of Fela Kuti.
