The Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba last night ordered the immediate arrest of afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti after he was seen assaulting a police officer.
Alkali Baba instructed the Lagos State Police Commissioner to arrest the entertainer with immediate effect.
He gave the order following Seun’s assault on a police officer.
Africa Today News, New York had earlier reported that the Grammy-nominated afrobeat singer was captured in a viral video assaulting a police operative in uniform.
A terse statement by the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, equally ordered a ‘speedy and full investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the assault and prosecution of the suspect accordingly.’
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The statement which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York reads: ‘IGP Usman Alkali Baba assures Nigerians that acts of contempt/disdain for symbols of authority will not be tolerated while offenders of such hideous crimes will be surely brought to book.’
Reacting to the order via his Instastory on Saturday night, Kuti said he welcomed the investigation.
He wrote, “I welcome the investigation and will give my full cooperation! I also pray to the IG that whoever is wrong should be indicted.”
The force spokesman, Adejobi, while speaking to reporters said Kuti had no justification for his action.
Adejobi vowed that the rights of the policeman would be held and promised that if the cop was indicted in the investigation, he would also be punished.
He said, ‘Two wrongs cannot make a right. We have seen cases where policemen did wrong and we dismissed them, reduced their ranks and people know that when you report, we will take it up. That was why we also asked that investigation be done.
‘But whatever it is, it is established that he (Kuti) assaulted a policeman and he will face the music. And if the policeman did anything unprofessional, he will go for it. But his own is obvious.
‘Officially, legally and morally, for a man to slap another man is condemned. I have not seen anybody praise him for what he has done. Even if his dad were to be alive, I don’t think he will praise him.’
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have taken to social media to react to the story, while some expressed disappointment at Kuti’s action, others asked that the artiste be sanctioned.