The university town of Ekpoma in the Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State was on Thursday evening thrown into panic as a team of policemen with their official vehicle ran over a handcuffed middle-aged man.
In a video that circulated online on Friday, the handcuffed man was seen lying down in front of the police van.
While some people engaged the policemen in a discussion, the driver of the police van drove away in a panic running over the man and dragging him along the road for a few metres.
The incident generated uproar from the crowd, but the angry crowd was quickly dispersed by gunshots from the policemen.
The spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, in a press statement, said the policemen have been arrested.
The statement read in part: “Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it is aware of the trending video in the social media that shows some police officers with a Sienna vehicle used for police patrol that ran over a young man who was handcuffed.
“The facts of the incident as gathered preliminarily indicate that on 29/06/2023 at about 17:00hrs, ASP Magdalene Osayande reported at Ekpoma Divisional Police Headquarters, Ekpoma, Edo State that while on routine stop and search duty with her team of six policemen along Ihumudumu Road, Ekpoma, Edo State, intercepted a driver of unregistered Lexus car and demanded the vehicle particulars.”
“Along the line, he became aggressive and refused to oblige the request of the Police operatives, but rather attacked them, inflicted injuries on them, and destroyed the police vehicle.
“However, he was arrested, handcuffed, and identified as one Success Ehimare before the incident that is currently trending in social media occurred. He was later taken to Irrua Specialist Hospital for treatment, and he is in good health condition.
“In light of the above, CP Mohammed Adamu Dankwara has condemned the action of the policemen that he saw in the trending video, and he described their action as barbaric, inhumane, and unprofessional.
“He therefore gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer, Ekpoma to identify, arrest, and bring to the State Police Headquarters Benin for brief and debrief. The officers have been arrested, and they are with the State Criminal Investigation Department.”
