The Police Command in Lagos State has refuted claims circulating on social media that a police inspector seen in a viral video being beaten by a mob, was caught in the act of stealing.
The viral video which began circulating on Wednesday, showed the officer in uniform seated on the ground and bleeding from the mouth as the mob beat him.
They had accused him of stealing.
In a statement on Thursday in Lagos, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the narrative attached to the widely shared footage as false and misleading.
According to her, the officer is attached to the Lagos State Taskforce and was on official duty enforcing the state government’s ban on wrong parking on Brown Street in Oshodi.
Adebisi said that trouble began when the inspector stopped a motorist attempting to park illegally.
“The driver became violent, leading to a heated confrontation.
“During the altercation, the inspector accidentally discharged his firearm onto the road, and debris from the impact injured some passersby.
“The situation quickly escalated as a mob gathered and violently attacked the officer, leaving him with serious injuries, ” she said.
The spokesperson said that the inspector had since faced disciplinary actions for his unprofessional conduct during the incident.
She, however, said that 13 suspects captured in the viral video assaulting the officer had been apprehended and were currently in custody.
“The suspects, who are between the ages of 22 and 40, will be prosecuted after investigations are concluded, ” she said.
Adebisi said that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Olohundare Jimoh, had warned against attacking officers on lawful duty.
“CP Jimoh, while condemning the unprofessional conduct of the personnel involved, strongly warns against any form of attack on police officers performing lawful duties.
“CP reiterated that assaulting law enforcement officers is a criminal offence and will not be condoned under any circumstances,” she said.
She urged members of the public to remain calm, refrain from spreading misinformation, and continue cooperating with security agencies to maintain law and order in the state.
Source: NAN
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