Policemen beat up Lagos estate guard, command backs cops

AyBenson, who tweets as @AyBenson, has narrated the alleged ill-mannered acts of some operatives of the Lagos State Police Command attached to the Ogombo Division.

He stated these while reacting to the “illegalities” of the operatives when they allegedly beat up a security man at the entrance of the Abraham Adesanya Estate in the Ajah area of the state.

Narrating the incident late Thursday via his X handle, AyBenson wrote, “Men of the Nigeria Police Force are putting our lives in danger in Abraham Adesanya Estate and we’re tired! At about 10:48 p.m. 24th April, policemen in uniform in two branded trucks from Ogombo Division forcefully gained access to our estate through the designated gate for estate residents.

“As soon as the security man on duty tried to carry out the due diligence in checks, they jumped out, numbering about 10 and descended on him with their guns to the extent of breaking his teeth and injuring him. They also swore to take him away to an unknown location to teach him respect for the police; if not for the timely intervention of the supervisor on duty who is a retired millitary personnel.”

The X user further stated that after the intervention, “one of the policemen in mufti who was challenged at the access point, called for nine more mobile policemen to mercilessly brutalise the guard who challenged him.”

“How can men of the Police Force who have sworn to protect the citizens of this country be the same people putting all our lives in grave danger? Something must be done about this urgently?” he queried.

The resident noted that such acts from the security operatives has become a concern for those living in the estate.

He wrote that “the illegalities of these policemen have become unbearable and a cause for concern in Abraham Adesanya Estate,” adding that the policemen “now illegally occupy some of the unallocated government quarters within the estate, break estate rules, refuse to pay estate dues, waste and electricity, and generally make life uncomfortable for everyone legally living in the estate.

“They harass residents regularly, evade payment of service charges, waste, electricity, etc., and challenge security to the extent of brutal beating each time they are questioned at the access points.”

The estate resident recalled that in the year 2023, the Divisional Police Officer of the Ogombo Division “violently broke open the emergency 3rd access gate at 1 a.m., taking away the padlock and chain, leaving the estate open to hoodlums and criminal elements throughout the night.”Related News

While reacting to the narration, the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, faulted the obstruction of the policemen by the estate’s security guard.

Hundeyin added that the resistance of arrest is an “offence.”

“It is actually sad and worrisome that when an estate resident calls the police to respond to an ongoing incident within an estate, police officers in full uniform and police branded patrol vehicles are stopped at the gate by the estate security men to ‘carry out due diligence in checks,’ to use your exact words.

“Obstructing police officers in the discharge of their duties is an offence. Resisting arrest is equally an offence. Minimal force will be applied where absolutely necessary.

“For other claims about actions of police officers residing in the estate, it is curious that the estate residents association has never called the attention of the Lagos State Police Command to them, especially considering that we have an open channel of communication with all CDAs and estate residents associations mostly through their Chief Security Officers.”

However, owing to the statement of the state police PRO, PUNCH Online couldn’t verify whether the arrival of the policemen was due to an alert by a resident of the estate.

On X.com, a user who uses the handle @idiaro, stated “Nobody should obstruct police from carrying out its lawful duties. Nigeria police should endeavour to communicate implications of some actions that people take for granted more often.”

A tweep, Majestic BN, who identifies as @BN_officially, wrote, “Yes, these estate securities are usually overzealous. I’ve had many bad experiences with them. Obstruction is indeed an offence.”

In contrast, a user who uses the handle @Sleek_Killa, stated that the “police uniform and full branded vehicles can and have been used by criminals in the past. There’s nothing wrong in asking for a proper identification and documentation of their unit for reference purposes. The police should not always act as a mob. They are obliged by law to identify themselves and state their mission.”

• The Punch