The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the case of a man, identified simply as Big Cashy, who had been demanding justice after some policemen allegedly assaulted him and his friend around Abattoir, in the Oko Oba area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Thursday.
“The only thing I can tell you about the case is that an investigation has commenced,” Hundeyin said during a telephone conversation
Big Cashy had claimed that he and his friends were driving to a destination in the area when the policemen stopped their vehicle for a search on Wednesday.
He further claimed that the policemen asked for their phones but they refused to surrender them.
The situation, however, degenerated and the policemen, while allegedly assaulting Big Cashy, were captured in a video clip he posted on Twitter.
Using his Twitter handle, @cashy0206, Big Cashy, wrote, “No drugs, nothing, no evidence, why asking for phone for no reason? I don’t know why. I know I won’t get the right justice but Nigeria is not a country but a hell. I know I won’t get justice cause this is not the first time but I just wanna know the right police officers have to beat up a civilian because he didn’t open his phone for him.
“Nah me today but you don’t know if you’re the one tomorrow. Imagine the military treating civilians like this, I believe the police aren’t safe but why (does) this keep happening? Why? They don’t have any tangible reason all in the name of stop-and-search and no evidence and they changed it to bring your phone. That’s where it all started yesterday around noon. Special mission to daylight robbery at Oko Oba abattoir.”
Meanwhile, Hundeyin, in a tweet on Thursday evening, identified the victims as Bamigbose Kabiru and Toheeb Bakare, adding that they were accosted for driving a Lexus ES350 against the traffic along the Old Abeokuta Road, Agege
He said, “Out of impatience, they diverted to the other side of the road, driving against oncoming traffic. Upon sighting the police ahead, the driver switched off the ignition right in the middle of the road and ran away with the key. The other passenger too ran away.
“Thinking of how to get out of the mess, the passenger spun a story, falsely accusing the officers of demanding to search their phones. The police officers attempted to effect an arrest which the driver violently resisted. The vehicle was successfully towed to the station.
“Had they been truly asked to surrender their phones for search, why then the need to run far away from their car? Running away after a traffic violation raises suspicions. Meanwhile, incidents of assault are being investigated and anyone found culpable will be made to answer.”