Policemen beats Punch reporter in Lagos

Few weeks after a PUNCH photojournalist was assaulted by some men of the Nigerian police, another PUNCH correspondent, Samson Folarin, was on Tuesday battered by some policemen attached to the Sabo Police Division, Yaba, Lagos State.

One of the policemen, Sadiq Kazeem, was embroiled in a fight with a tricycle operator, Musibau Bakare, at the Sabo bus stop.

Our correspondent, who was at the scene, decided to observe the affray.

Kazeem, who became suspicious of the correspondent’s interest, suddenly swooped on him and dragged him by the trousers when the correspondent tried to take a picture of the incident.

He handed him to another officer, who was in mufti, and both men continued to drag him on the road.

Our correspondent decided to make a quick telephone call to inform his office about his situation.

The action infuriated the fair complexioned officer, who wore a blue and red stripped polo shirt. He slapped the correspondent and dragged him to the station.

At the station, the police officers on duty derided our correspondent because he demanded explanation for his arrest.

The reporter asked, “What have I done wrong to deserve this treatment? What law in particular have I breached?”

Another officer said, “Don’t you know you were supposed to take permission from the police officer? Haven’t you read the FoI bill enough to know you cannot just take any picture? Can you snap the picture of a naked woman on the road?”

The policemen subsequently seized our correspondent’s phone and later forced him to delete the pictures.

 When the matter was taken to the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. A.O Aruna, he admonished Kazeem to always maintain sane conduct on the road.

He said, “That is why I always tell you that when you are on the road, do the right thing. If anyone wants to take your picture, allow him because if you are doing the right thing, you will not be afraid.”

He said the duty of Kazeem was not to harass civilians but to ensure the free flow of traffic.

Meanwhile, Bakare, the man Kazeem was fighting with, told our correspondent that his Keke Marwa had been seized after the incident.

Bakare said, “The problem started because he asked my passengers to come down and they refused. He then dragged me out of the tricycle and slapped me many times.”


-- Punch