Widespread condemnation has followed the alleged beating and detention of a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer by policemen in Osun State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday when police officers in plain clothes attempted to enter Elizabeth Estate near the Osun State Secretariat without an arrest warrant or proper identification.
The NSCDC officer on duty, citing questionable identity, denied them entry.
Witnesses claim that the situation escalated, resulting in the NSCDC officer being forcibly detained by the police.
A source in the estate said: “Policemen from Ataoja came to our estate for arrest without warrant and the NSCDC urged them to provide one, else he won’t allow them in. It resulted to altercation where 20 police reinforced to the scene and they beat him up and injured two residents brutally.”
Reacting to the incident, spokesperson of Osun NSCDC, Kehinde Adeleke, condemned the act of the police operatives.
She confirmed the arrest of its officer by policemen, adding that his uniform was torn while he was handcuffed, arrested and detained at Ataoja Police Command.
The Osun Police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident, saying, “the NSCDC officer beat up two of our men and deflated the tyres of their vehicle.”
But convener of Dialogue 365, Comrade Waheed Saka, berated the police describing the act as barbaric.
He said: “There are rising cases of police brutality in Osun State lately. The recent extrajudicial activities of police may result to another massive protest against police.”
(Nation)
