Femi Falana, a senior advocate in Nigeria, has urged Dr Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, to look into and make sure that the police officers who assaulted Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, are prosecuted.
Ajaero was arrested by the police in Owerri, the capital of Imo state while planning a protest to voice opposition to the state’s workers’ unpaid wages, as previously reported by News About Nigeria.
Ajaero was allegedly “thoroughly” beaten and nearly blinded, according to the NLC.
However, the police said that Ajaero was detained for safety in a news release issued by ASP Okoye Henry, the public relations officer for the Imo State Command.
Falana regarded the police’s account of events as dubious, however.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and ensure that the police officers who brutalised the NLC President are prosecuted without any delay,” the senior attorney stated in a statement on Wednesday.
“There are several gaps in the police account of Comrade Joe Ajero, the President of the NLC, being beaten up.
“Comrade Ajero was immediately encircled by a group of law enforcement officers under the command of the Imo State Commissioner of Police when he arrived at the rally site.
“Why did the police stand by as the so-called miscreants beat Comrade Ajero? Stated differently, what prevented the law enforcement officers from defending him from the vicious assault?
“In addition, why weren’t the criminals who attacked the NLC President in front of the police officers arrested?
“The officers then abruptly turned around to take the victim to the police clinic after seeing the incident but failing to make any arrests.
“The public members who denounced the brutal assault captured images that showed the police’s false narrative. Indeed, the images verify that the lawbreakers are, in fact, law enforcement officers!
“It is unsettling that the police used Comrade Ajero’s disobedience of a court order as justification for the actions of the alleged miscreants. Why did the police not let Comrade Ajero to be found in contempt of court by the court?”
