19th April, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has condemned the assault on a woman at the Odo Ori Market, Iwo Osun State by men of the Force attached to Iwo Division, Osun State.
A viral video showing some police officers led by a notorious officer, Ikuesan Taiwo flogging a woman for defying the lockdown order had emerged on Saturday.
The victim identified as Azeez Tola had claimed that she was out to buy drugs but Ikuesan turned a deaf ear to her plea.
This is me been beaten by the police today on my way to get drugs and some relief materials for my people. https://t.co/jtBikePIgp
— Tola Azeez (@fabhally) April 18, 2020
My body is all swollen. Already I had heard how sergeant Ikuesan can be so mean to Iwo people who are law abiding. But I've never met him in person until today. He refused to listen to me.
— Tola Azeez (@fabhally) April 18, 2020
“This is me being beaten by the police today on my way to get drugs and some relief materials for my people,” she wrote while she retweeted a video posted by a Nigerian musician, @Ruggedybaba.
“My body is all swollen. Already I had heard how sergeant Ikuesan can be so mean to Iwo people who are law abiding. But I’ve never met him in person until today. He refused to listen to me,” she tweeted.
This is Tola Azeez @fabhally, the lady that was beaten by police in Iwo.@RuggedyBaba @PoliceNG @tunmishe_ @bad4u @iwogoke pic.twitter.com/ZJ6uW7jZ8Z
— Yusuff Mutalub (@yusuff_mutalub) April 18, 2020
However, in a statement signed by the IGP on Saturday said the officers involved in the unfortunate incident have been arrested.
He gave the names of the officers as Inspector Ikuesan Taiwo with AP NO 251724 and PC Abass Ibrahim with Force No. 509634.
According to him, they were currently being detained and their orderly room trial had since commenced.
“This unwarranted, unnecessary and unjustifiable assault on this innocent citizen (as shown in the attached viral video), at the Odo Ori Market, Iwo Osun State by men of the Force attached to Iwo Division, Osun
“Following the IGP’s condemnation and directives that the Commissioner of Police immediately arrest and bring the officers to book, CP Johnson Kokumo mni, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Osun State Command where the incident occurred,” it said.
The IGP reiterated that the Police under his watch will not condone any act of misconduct and recklessness on the part of its personnel.
He urged Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the leadership of the Force as it strives to reposition the NPF into an effective, efficient and people-friendly Force.