The Imo state police command says it has arrested four officers captured in a viral video seemingly manhandling and shoving a young man into the boot of a vehicle. The incident occurred on Sunday, along Human Race Road in Nekede, Imo State.
In a statement, Henry Okoye, spokesperson of the command, said Audu Bosso, commissioner of police in the state, ordered an immediate investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Preliminary findings revealed that the four personnel captured in the viral video comprised two police officers attached to the Nekede Divisional Headquarters and two Supernumerary Police Officers,” the statement reads.
“They were conducting an operation at a suspected drug trafficking location along Human Race Road, Nekede, during which two suspects were arrested. “Substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa were recovered from one suspect, who admitted to selling illicit drugs in the area,” Okoye said. The command condemned the officers’ conduct despite the outcome of the operation.
“Notwithstanding the outcome of the operation, the Imo State Police Command unequivocally condemns the unprofessional conduct of the personnel as captured in the viral video,” the statement added.
“The manner in which one of the suspects was arrested and forced into the boot of a vehicle is unacceptable, inhumane, and completely not in conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures, Code of Conduct, and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The police spokesperson said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a detailed and impartial investigation. He added that disciplinary procedures had commenced against the officers involved and that the outcome of the investigation would be made public upon completion.
Okoye said the commissioner of police reassured residents of the command’s commitment to combating crime “while ensuring that all policing operations are conducted professionally, lawfully, and with due respect for the rights and dignity of every individual”.
