The Ondo State Police Command, on Tuesday, said it had arrested one of its men, for allegedly beating and injuring a female student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
Some students of the institution were said to have had an encounter with some policemen attached to the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Akure, on Sunday, and one of them was allegedly injured by a policeman.
The identities of the victim and the policeman had not been revealed as of the time of filing this report.
The encounter has already gone viral on the social media.
In a viral video, a FUTA student was seen bleeding in one eye and kept saying, “Look at my eye.”
The video, which was shared by a Twitter user with the handle, @ iambabtee, who claimed to be the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ondo area, started with a focus on the policemen, who were leaning on their white patrol van with the inscription: ‘Anti-Crime Patrol Division, Akure’.
There were four policemen in the video, who appeared unperturbed by the plight of the bleeding student.
Towards the end of the video, when the young woman did a close up of her injured eye and said, “My eye,” a voice was heard saying, “Nobody touched you now.”
When contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said the errant policeman had been arrested and would face trial.
Joseph, who declined to reveal the identity of the cop, however, explained that the incident involved two drunk students, who were on a motorcycle on Sunday, adding that they refused to be checked by the policemen, who were on patrol.
He stated, “The students were stopped by the policemen on patrol on Sunday night, and when they were asked to open their bag, they refused; that was what caused an argument between them and the policemen, leading to one of the cops to gently pushing one of the young women. But because she was tipsy, she fell down and got injured.
“In spite of that, as I am speaking with you now, the policeman in question has been arrested and will face trial today (Tuesday). He will definitely be punished.”
When contacted, the President, FUTA Students’ Union Government, Abraham Esedere, said he was at the police headquarters over the matter and promised to call back.
“I am at the police headquarters, I will call you back after I leave here,” he told our correspondent on the telephone.
Meanwhile, the FUTA management has condemned the alleged brutalisation of one of its students by a policeman, describing the action of the cop as uncivilised.
The university’s position was contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Public Communications, FUTA, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, on Tuesday.
The statement read in part, “The resort to such objectionable and brutal treatment is not in sync with civilised norms and is at variance with all known rules of engagement and relationship between law enforcement officers and students under whatever guise.
“The university, through its counselling unit and health centre, is providing adequate support for the student, who has now been treated and discharged from hospital.”
Some students of the institution were said to have had an encounter with some policemen attached to the ‘A’ Division Police Station, Akure, on Sunday, and one of them was allegedly injured by a policeman.
The identities of the victim and the policeman had not been revealed as of the time of filing this report.
The encounter has already gone viral on the social media.
In a viral video, a FUTA student was seen bleeding in one eye and kept saying, “Look at my eye.”
This is what the @PoliceNG in Ondo has done again to a student of Futa. NANS JCC ONDO AIXS is on this and we won’t give up until justice is attain..— iambabtee (@iambabtee) August 27, 2019
We say no to police Brutality @yemieFash pic.twitter.com/dRGPs7O4OW
The video, which was shared by a Twitter user with the handle, @ iambabtee, who claimed to be the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ondo area, started with a focus on the policemen, who were leaning on their white patrol van with the inscription: ‘Anti-Crime Patrol Division, Akure’.
There were four policemen in the video, who appeared unperturbed by the plight of the bleeding student.
Towards the end of the video, when the young woman did a close up of her injured eye and said, “My eye,” a voice was heard saying, “Nobody touched you now.”
When contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said the errant policeman had been arrested and would face trial.
Joseph, who declined to reveal the identity of the cop, however, explained that the incident involved two drunk students, who were on a motorcycle on Sunday, adding that they refused to be checked by the policemen, who were on patrol.
He stated, “The students were stopped by the policemen on patrol on Sunday night, and when they were asked to open their bag, they refused; that was what caused an argument between them and the policemen, leading to one of the cops to gently pushing one of the young women. But because she was tipsy, she fell down and got injured.
“In spite of that, as I am speaking with you now, the policeman in question has been arrested and will face trial today (Tuesday). He will definitely be punished.”
When contacted, the President, FUTA Students’ Union Government, Abraham Esedere, said he was at the police headquarters over the matter and promised to call back.
“I am at the police headquarters, I will call you back after I leave here,” he told our correspondent on the telephone.
Meanwhile, the FUTA management has condemned the alleged brutalisation of one of its students by a policeman, describing the action of the cop as uncivilised.
The university’s position was contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Public Communications, FUTA, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, on Tuesday.
The statement read in part, “The resort to such objectionable and brutal treatment is not in sync with civilised norms and is at variance with all known rules of engagement and relationship between law enforcement officers and students under whatever guise.
“The university, through its counselling unit and health centre, is providing adequate support for the student, who has now been treated and discharged from hospital.”
On the @PoliceNG ondo brutality issue the commissioner of police have wade in and he as assure us of justice, he really played a role of a father and he has order an inquiry and trial of the defaulted personnel ....@femijoseph pic.twitter.com/Tot7Qbhd61— iambabtee (@iambabtee) August 27, 2019
