Slapping A Policeman
OpenLife Nigeria reports that a singer, Seun Kuti, son of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who was caught in a video molesting a police man on 3rd mainland bridge in May, 2023, has impliedly said that he knew exactly what he did and would do same again if similar circumstance crops up.
Speaking on Sunday evening on Arise TV programme, Seun Kuti maintained that he owns it as a responsibility to protect himself and his family whenever there is a threat.
Reuben Abati, the anchor of the Sunday programme had asked: Will you slap a policeman again?
Seun, smiling, rephrased the question saying:
“Why not ask the question this way? Will I still protect myself and family tomorrow and I will say yes, ”
It would be recalled that Social media users, sometime in May, expressed outrage at the action of Seun Kuti, who was filmed assaulting a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.
While some expressed disappointment at Kuti’s action, others asked that the artiste be sanctioned.
The 12-second video clip which went viral on showed Kuti, who wore a red shirt and white pair of trousers, pushing a policeman, who stood beside a Toyota Hilux police van.
He then proceeded to slap the cop, as he shouted, “You dey crase, you dey mad?”
A motorist, who filmed the incident from his car, was heard saying, “Omo na Kuti o. Na better news be this o.”
However, Kuti, while reacting to the order for his arrest on Instagram, promised to cooperate with the police authorities.
He said whoever was wrong should be punished.
The force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Kuti had no justification for his action.
Adejobi vowed that the rights of the policeman would be held and promised that if the cop was indicted in the investigation, he would also be punished.
He said, “Two wrongs cannot make a right. We have seen cases where policemen did wrong and we dismissed them, reduced their ranks and people know that when you report, we will take it up. That was why we also asked that investigation be done.
“But whatever it is, it is established that he (Kuti) assaulted a policeman and he will face the music. And if the policeman did anything unprofessional, he will go for it. But his own is obvious.
“Officially, legally and morally, for a man to slap another man is condemned. I have not seen anybody praise him for what he has done. Even if his dad were to be alive, I don’t think he will praise him. ”