The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Sunday commended the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for ordering the arrest of singer Seun Kuti, who attacked a police officer on duty.
The chairman of the PSC, Solomon Arase, in a statement, berated Mr Kuti for assaulting a police officer on official duty, adding that the commission looked forward to his prosecution.
“The commission demands that the culprit be arraigned immediately, and the police must ensure that the matter is followed to its logical conclusion to restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police,” Mr Arase said.
He added, “The demand is in recognition of the fact that the police is the lead agency in internal security.”
In a viral video, the “Afrobeat’’ musician, wearing a red shirt atop a white pair of trousers, was seen slapping an officer standing by a police van.
While slapping the policeman, he repeatedly asked him: “You dey mad’’? (are you insane’’?).
Mr Arase frowned at the singer for slapping the policeman, insisting that Nigeria is not a Hobbesian state where might is right.
“We must, as civilised people, explore established channels of complaints against alleged infractions by law enforcement officials rather than this uncouth behaviour of assaulting the country’s symbol of authority.
“We look forward to the prompt prosecution of Kuti to act as a deterrent to others,’’ Mr Arase was quoted in the statement by PSC’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani.
Mr Ani added that Mr Arase commended the police officer for refusing to be provoked by the action of his aggressor; a development, he said, would have been fatal.
Mr Arase also said it was unfortunate that the incident occurred when the police management was dealing with officers who harassed, intimidated or assaulted civilians.
He stressed that it was worrisome that police officers had now become victims of the actions of some uncultured elites.
The PSC boss urged the police to use the present incident to set an example that this would never be tolerated in Nigeria, a country governed by laws, rules and regulations.
(NAN)
