Suspect chained to police van ‘tried to escape’

The public complaint rapid response unit (PCRRU) of the police, says the suspect chained to a vehicle in Edo state was done to prevent him from escaping.

A video showing a civilian being chained to a vehicle by three policemen has since gone viral.

In a statement on Thursday, Abayomi Shogunle, commissioner of police, public complaint rapid response unit (PCRRU), explained that the Esigie division of the police had received a tip-off of a congregation of suspected cultists.

He said when the police officers arrived the scene of the said venue of the congregation, the suspects took to their heels but two of them were arrested.

“Upon a search on the person of the suspect seen handcuffed to the vehicle in the video some quantity of weeds suspect to be Indian hemp and powder suspected to be cocaine were found on him,” the statement by Shogunle read.

“Both arrested suspects were then loaded into the patrol vehicle and secured accordingly to prevent escape during transportation to the Police station. At a point along Sopkonba Road, Benin-City a crowd tried to prevent the free passage of the patrol vehicle transporting the suspects.

“That in the process one of the suspects (one seen in the video) tried to escape by jumping off the back of the open pick-up patrol van but was restrained by the handcuff attaching him to the vehicle. A reinforcement was called and the suspects were eventually taken to the station.”

He said those who witnessed the incident should go to the office of the assistant inspector-general of police (AIG), Benin-City where detailed investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding events that led to the video and allegations made therein.

“The Nigeria Police Force under IGP Ibrahim Idris NPM, mni is determined to ensure that rights of every suspect is protected at all times. The public is assured that proven case of abuse of powers by any police officer(s) would attract sanctions,” it read.

“As we await the outcome of the investigations by the AIG Zone 5 Benin-City, members of the public are enjoined to always cooperate with Nigeria Police Force units as police officers are out to ensure the protection of their lives and properties. Remember bail is free, PCRRU says no to impunity.”