Policemen caught slapping Rivers motorist in viral video arrested

The police officers who were seen in a viral video attacking a driver in Rivers State have been detained and will appear today for disciplinary action at the Force headquarters in Abuja.

Muyiwa Adejobi, the force’s public relations officer, confirmed the arrest in a tweet and called the officers’ behavior “barbaric.”

Three errant police officers, according to Adejobi, were a part of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Rivers State Police Command.

He stated, “These men have been arrested, and their commander will personally bring (them) to the Force Headquarters tomorrow, Tuesday for further actions. They are 3 in number, attached to RRS, Rivers State. Their action does not portray the police in a good light at all.

“You will see the evidence tomorrow. They will be at the Force headquarters and our actions will be made public…There is no place in our law, or act or training manual or curriculum where slapping or flogging is listed as a measure of arrest or applying minimum force as stipulated by law,” Adejobi added.

Recall that one of the armed policemen was seen in the video slapping and flogging the motorist as he led the victim into a car parked by the roadside. 

Another officer was also captured showing a woman, said to be the man’s wife, into the driver’s side.

The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Okon Effiong, had earlier ordered the arrest of the officers, and promised to get them sanctioned.