Operatives of the Lagos Police Command have arrested a man, Victor Ebhomenyen, 33, for assaulting an officer on duty.
Ebhomenyen was captured in a viral video violently pushing the policeman identified as Erhator Sunday around Four Point Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
The fully clad and armed policeman was also seen in the video exercising restraint despite provocation from the suspect, alleged to have been arrested for driving against traffic.
Although what transpired before the physical attack on the policeman was not recorded, different accounts of the incident have since surfaced on the social media.
According to a shorter video posted by a resident in the neighbourhood, the policeman and his team allegedly sought bribe from the occupants of the vehicle and proceeded to attack, point their gun at them.
But the police refuted the claim, stating occupants of the vehicle angrily came down and started assaulting the officers when they were stopped.
A statement by spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, which confirmed Ebhomenyen’s arrest, alleged ASP Sunday sustained severe bodily injuries as a result of the assault.
He said: “The command has deemed it necessary and responsible to react and set the record straight on the incident that was captured in a video that went viral on the social media on Saturday, April 17, where two men were repeatedly assaulting an officer on duty and creating a scene on the road at Four Point, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“To set the record straight, on Saturday, at about 10:30am, one ASP Erhator Sunday, and team attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the command, who were on a convoy movement to drop off policemen at their various beats across the state, blocked and stopped a white Hyundai SUV, MUS251EH facing the convoy on “one way”, driven by the suspect, Victor, at Four Point Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“When the police stopped the vehicle, the occupants, one Victor Ebhomenye and Etinosa Obaywana, angrily came down, confronted and violently assaulted ASP Erhator Sunday, inflicting severe bodily injuries on him.
“The officer, who was armed with his official Ak47 riffle, displayed a high level of professionalism amidst fierce provocations by resisting the temptation of using his rifle on the suspect. The prime suspect, Victor, is in the police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti, for investigation and prosecution as and when due, while effort is on to arrest his fleeing accomplice, Etinosa, who has been identified.
“According to the provisions of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, the vehicle has been impounded and taken to the Lagos State Taskforce Office, Oshodi, for appropriate penalty.”
Source: The Nation
