By Racheal Ayodele Famous Nigerian actor and lawyer turned politician Kenneth Okonkwo has slammed the Lagos State Police over the tr...
By Racheal Ayodele
Famous Nigerian actor and lawyer turned politician Kenneth
Okonkwo has slammed the Lagos State Police over the treatment meted at singer
Seun Kuti.
Recall that the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer,
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, had shared photos and videos of Seun handcuffed and his
shoes removed on Twitter while confirming the singer’s arrest.
Taking to the comment section, many Nigerians on social
media berated the police over the action.
Responding, the Nigerian Police Public Relations Officer,
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said it was a normal procedure before the detention of an
individual.
Reacting to this on Tuesday in a series of tweets, Kenneth
Okonkwo said it was unlawful for the police to handcuff the singer after he
voluntarily surrendered himself. Noting that a person who voluntarily submitted
to the police cannot be presumed to be violent or planning to escape.
He said, “As a spokesman for a movement seeking the
entrenchment of the rule of law, I must admit that unlawful violence against
Nigerian citizen should not be condoned, especially when the person is a law
enforcement agent.
“However, it’s unlawful for police to handcuff Seun Kuti
after he voluntarily surrendered himself. Section 5(a) of the Administration of
Criminal Justice Act 2015 states, “A suspect or defendant may not be
handcuffed, bound or be subjected to restraint except there is a reasonable
apprehension of violence or an attempt to escape.”
“A person who voluntarily submitted to the police cannot be
presumed to be violent or planning to escape. We must learn to maintain the
rule of law in this country no matter who is involved.”
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