Ejeh Smith and Grace Smith: battered by a policeman

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba has ordered a full scale investigation into the vicious attack of a Lagos couple by a policeman in Ikoyi area of the city. The incident happened 3 December.

Punch newspaper published the ordeal of the couple Tuesday and it went viral since then.

A statement by Acting Police Commissioner Emmanuel Ojukwu said Abba has launched the probe “in line with his avowed commitment to protect and uphold the Human Rights of all Nigerians and residents therein.

“The Officer involved has been identified and is already undergoing administrative trial. All other officers whose conduct did not speak well on the incident are also being sanctioned, preparatory to further necessary action.

“The IGP further reiterated the determination of the Force to abide by the contents of the newly launched NPF Human Rights Practice Manual, stressing that no abuse of human rights will be tolerated in the Force,” the statement added.

According to online reports, the police officer attached to Ikoyi Police Station and identified as Dada Ogunsanya assaulted the couple, 29 year old photographer, Ejeh Smith, and his wife, Grace, 26.

The couple said the policeman, attacked them with his rifle along the Lekki Roundabout on Wednesday December 3rd.

According to Punch, the couple who are currently receiving treatment at a Lagos Hospital for wounds they sustained from the attack, said they were in a taxi on their way to their Parkview home when a 7-man Police patrol team at the Lekki Roundabout stopped their taxi.

Narrating what transpired, the driver of the taxi, Ndubuisi Iheaka said the police asked to inspect his boot which he obliged and opened for them. He said they then demanded for his drivers license and as he was about getting it for them, they flashed their lights on his passengers.

“I was about getting the driving license when he started flashing his torchlight on my passengers who were sitting at the back. The wife told the officer not to flash the torch on them since the inner light of the vehicle was on. Because of what she said, the policeman asked them to come down from the cab. This started an argument. The next thing I saw was that the policeman pulled my passenger (Ejeh) by his trousers, and his wife went to plead with him to stop. But instead, he slapped her and punched her husband. He was wearing a ring, which inflicted a deep cut on Ejeh’s face. After that, he used the b*tt of his gun to hit him in his eye and face. He also dragged his wife on the road.” the taxi driver said
Grace, the photographer’s wife said the assault continued with the police officer stepping on her stomach.

“If I was pregnant that night, I would have lost my pregnancy. I was only trying to pet him to leave my husband since he did not have business with us. I told him to face the cab driver and leave us alone. The other policemen were just looking at him while he dragged me on the ground. A man riding a tricycle at the time was the one who rescued me. He said the policemen must call their Divisional Police Officer or else he would not leave the scene,” she said.

Mr Ejeh said as they were being tortured, the DPO of the Ikoyi Police station, Mrs Aisha Haruna arrived the scene and ordered that they be taken to their station to make statement. He said he refused, insisting that they need medical attention. He said he was dripping blood from his eyes and his wife was vomiting blood.

“We told her that we needed to first treat ourselves before we could make statements. That was when we were given forms and referred to the Falomo Police Hospital. We paid for the treatment and we also went to the eye clinic for treatment.”
Grace said all the video recordings she did of the incident on her phone have been deleted by the police, including some of her personal data.

“Even my personal data were deleted. And when I asked the DPO why she did that, she said we deserved the treatment we got. She said she would have locked us up in the cell if not for our injuries. She said we did not know how to talk,” Grace said.

While confirming the incident, the Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu,said disciplinary actions would be taken once investigation into the matter is concluded.

“Yes, the incident happened in the Ikoyi division. Inquiries are on as well as disciplinary procedures.”he said
Meanwhile the Husband and Wife says they will be filing a petition to the Inspector General of Police through their family lawyer.