The Nigeria Police high command has approved the dismissal from the Force of one Liyomo Okoi, a police constable with Force number 524503, recently spotted in a viral online video assaulting a suspect with a matchet.
Muyiwa Adedoji, Force Public Relations Officer, making this disclosure through his Twitter handle, said Okoi, attached to the Ekori Divisional Police Headquarters, Cross River State, was dismissed for gross misconduct after he was “captured in a video that went viral on 31st July, 2022, where he was flogging a civilian with a cutlass.” Pictures were attached to the tweet, showing Okoi been stripped of his uniform.
Contacted for comments, Irene Ugbo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, told www.calitown.com that, “this action will serve as a deterrent to several of our misguided men and women who are often tempted to treat suspects inhumanly. We must be constantly reminded that suspects are human beings and must not be treated as animals. In the police, we have and use battons, and tactically withdraw when the batton may be inadequate for the arrest. No where is it stated that a cutlass should be used on a suspect while trying to arrest him or her. At all times we must be professional in dealing with all manner of persons, what has just happened is a wake up call to all of us; I have said enough.”
