Arrest, prosecute police officers who brutalised NLC President in Imo – Falana to IGP

Femi Falana, a human rights activist, has called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that the officers who are accused of brutally assaulting Joe Ajaero, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, are apprehended and brought to justice.

Falana expressed his disagreement with the police’s statement regarding Ajaero’s arrest.

The police had denied arresting Ajaero during the NLC rally in Owerri, Imo State on Wednesday, instead claiming that he was taken away by troublemakers who had hijacked the event.

Falana criticized the police’s explanation, finding it flawed and questioned why they did not arrest the individuals responsible for assaulting the NLC President despite being present at the scene.

He said: “The police version of the brutalisation of the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero is full of loopholes.

“Why did the police allow Comrade Ajero to be brutalised by the so-called miscreants? In other words, why did the police not protect him from the violent attack?

“So the police who witnessed the attack without making any arrest suddenly turned round to take the victim to the police clinic. The members of the public who decried the barbaric attack took pictures, which exposed the misleading version of the police.

“It is disturbing that the police justified the action of the so-called miscreants by saying that Comrade Ajero has disobeyed the order of a court. Why did the police not allow the court to purge Comrade Ajero of contempt of court?

“We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and ensure that the police officers who brutalised the NLC President are prosecuted without any delay.