Police launch investigation into family allegedly brutalised by officers

The police in Lagos have launched an “in-depth” investigation into alleged brutality perpetrated by its officers, an official has said.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state, said this in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

“The entire family is at the Police Headquarters as I tweet this (I won’t post their picture for their privacy). The DPO and another officer involved are also here,” he tweeted.

“The X-Squad department of the Command has commenced in-depth investigations.”

The police did not deny the incident.

‘Brutality’

According to SaharaReporters newspaper, some police officers attached to the Igando Division detained and brutalised a family of six, including an 11-month-old child.

The family also said the police officers arraigned them to cover up the torture they meted to them.

Recounting the incident, Happiness Liberty, said that on 11th September, they were returning from church in the evening when a commercial motorcycle also called “Okada” knocked down her husband.

According to the mother of three, her husband turned around and asked the rider why he hit him.

Instead of apologising, the rider who would later identify as a police officer from the Igando Division questioned him if he knew who he was.

While the conversation went on, the police officer allegedly slapped her husband.

She further stated that when her husband’s sibling came to enquire what was going on, the police officer, who was identified as Martin A, equally slapped her with her 11-month-old baby strapped to her back.

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Mrs Liberty said some moments later, a team of police officers bundled them to the Igando Police Division.

She said when they got to the police station, all the police officers on duty swooped on them, hitting everybody including her children. She said the assault led to one of her husband’s siblings slumping but was revived hours later.

“After the beating, they detained my husband, his sibling, myself and my three children, 8 years, 7 years and 11 months,” the woman said.

“They didn’t allow us to make calls. They treated us like criminals. I was released to go home on Monday, 24 hours after starving my children. My husband and his siblings were released from detention on September 14.

“Thereafter, they arraigned us before a Magistrate Court that granted us bail.”

Mrs Liberty also said the police officer, Martin A, had threatened her family not to disclose the incident.