Some armed police officers have been filmed assaulting a yet-to-be-identified woman in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.
A human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, petitioned the Nigerian Police Force via his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Saturday over the alleged assault of the woman.
Mr Gwamnishu uploaded on the microblogging platform a video clip of the incident.
He said the incident happened on Saturday at Umuodu, Okpuno, a community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
In the now viral clip, some of the officers were seen hitting the woman while others dragged her violently.
The officers, numbering about seven, were heard ordering the woman to enter their vehicle – suggesting a possible arrest.
“I am not going anywhere,” the woman insisted, amid the beatings and violent dragging
The location looked like a residential area.
“She is a woman. She is a woman o,” a male voice was heard in the background of the video telling the officers – apparently pleading with them to stop the assault.
“This thing is not good o,” the voice said as the officers continued to beat the woman.
The woman, who wore only blue shorts and a black singlet, was later dragged near a saloon car close to an entrance gate in the compound.
The clip did not show the woman entering any vehicle.
“Please investigate this brutality,” Mr Gwamnishu, the human rights activist, appealed to the police authorities.
It is unclear for now what offence the woman committed. But some X users linked the incident to payment of “security levy”.
Several Nigerians on the microblogging platform have expressed outrage over the incident.
Reacting, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a post via his X handle on Sunday morning, said the clip had been forwarded to the police authorities in Anambra State for action.
“We will find out and take necessary action,” Mr Adejobi, an assistant commissioner of police, assured.
Earlier, the police in Anambra State via their official X handle on Saturday in response to the post, claimed the woman’s siblings had helped her to resist police arrest in a residential house in the community.
“Meanwhile, the case has been resolved and the behaviour of the officers involved addressed,” the police said.
Source: The Premium Times
Watch the video below:
Att: @PoliceNG@Princemoye1@AnambraPolice
I just received this and was told it happened today at Umuodu, Anambra State over Securiy levy.
Please investigate this Brutality. pic.twitter.com/pJectgZJUe
— Harrison Gwamnishu (@HarrisonBbi18) September 30, 2023
