A man saw his confidence in the police reduced after a bad experience with some officers who accused him of fraud.
A bad experience with some SARS operatives has made a musician Richie Sunday to feel uncomfortable when a policeman is present.
On Thursday, July 19, 2018, he was reportedly forced on a bus by the cops who accused him of fraud.
The victim gave up resistance after too much beating by the officers who him on a number of occasions with the bottom of their guns.
According to Punch News, Sunday had the encounter with the assaulters.
It was around 12pm when he tried to get some refreshment from a supermarket located in Iyana-Oworo, Lagos.
“It happened on Thursday around 12pm at Iyana-Oworo. I have a studio there; but an event was going on so I could not drive out when I needed to get a bottle of cold drink and table water.
"While I was on my way, one man who was armed and putting on a T-shirt accosted and told me to follow him.
“I asked who he was because I wanted to be sure that he was a policeman. But all of a sudden, the officers started beating me; they used the butts of their guns, and sticks to hit me and eventually forced me to enter inside a commercial bus.
“They refused to identify themselves and did not give me a chance to explain who I was. At first, I was taken to the Iyana-Oworo Police Station, but later, they took me to Charlie Boy Police Station.
"I did not write any statement, but they wrote a statement for me which I refused to sign.
“They accused me of being a yahoo boy and took my mobile phone; but in the process of checking my phone, they checked my profile and got to know that I was a musician.
“They did not find any incriminating item on my phone, but they had already beaten me black and blue. All I got was, ‘sorry, it will not happen again.’
“I was held up for about four hours before they set me free,” Richie Sunday told Punch.
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Scared of moving freely in his own country
As a result of the brutal experience with the police, the victim lost confidence and can only be comfortable when he has people around him.
The pain he feels on his body following the incident has sent him into a state of trauma.
A reason why he called on the government to make solving the issue of police brutality in Nigeria a priority.
“I am still traumatised; I lost N15,400 and some jewellery. As I speak with you, I am in pain. When you called me, someone was applying some local medication on my legs where I sustained injuries.
"I feel I have been denied my right to walk freely as a Nigerian. I cannot move around freely anymore, except when people are with me because I am scared.
“I want the government to focus attention on these SARS men because a lot of people are going through this same ordeal in their hands. A lot of youths are being accused for what they know nothing about.
"I just want the government to focus on fishing out these corrupt officials and reform the Nigeria Police Force.”
Police alleges 'crocodile tears'
When contacted by Punch News, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Police insisted that Richie Sunday was only trying to use the incident with the police to pr CSP Chike Oti promote his career.
Oti confirmed that the victim was arrested but was set free after he gave a good explanation.
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The police rep revealed that he was released without any bail condition.
In his conversation with Punch, Oti explained that the victim was arrested by policemen from the Anti-Cultism unit not SARS officers.
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