Peter Okoye, widely known as Mr. P from the music duo PSquare, has appealed to the police for leniency in the case involving his colleague, Seun Kuti, who was captured on video assaulting a police officer, News About Nigeria reports.
The footage, which surfaced on Saturday, shows Kuti pointing at an unidentified police officer and subsequently pushing and slapping him.
In response to the incident, the police have called for Kuti’s arrest after the video went viral.
Addressing the situation on Sunday through a tweet, Mr. P expressed, “This is an unfortunate incident, and according to reports, it appears that Seun’s family was in danger, which led to the altercation.”
“When a man finds himself in a situation where he must protect his family from any kind of harm, emotions can overwhelm us.”
“I kindly ask and plead that the Nigerian Police Force accept our sincere apologies for this regrettable outburst and approach the matter with mercy.”
In a retweet of Mr. P’s post, Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, commented, “If you ever find yourself in a situation where an unarmed police officer jeopardizes the safety of your family (God forbid), go ahead and slap the officer. Do it in Nigeria as well as in the United States, where you frequently visit.”
“I am certain that prominent Nigerians will raise this argument of yours in your defense.”
It is unclear how the police will respond to Mr. P’s request for mercy. The incident has sparked heated debate online, with many people taking sides on the issue.
Some have criticized Kuti’s actions as unjustified, while others have defended him, citing the need to protect one’s family in dangerous situations.
