Falana Lambasts Force PRO Over Tweet Saying Civilians Can’t Retaliate Against Police Assault

• The spokesperson of the Nigerian Police Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi is still under-fire for his tweet saying civilians can’t retaliate against police assault
• Senior Advocate, Femi Falana becomes the latest personality to hit out at the police spokesperson
• He called out CSP Adejobi to retract his statement or risk being replaced by the inspector-general of police

Renowned legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN) has hit out at Olumuyiwa Adejobi, public relations officer of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) over his statement saying civilians are not supposed to retaliate against police assault, TheCable reported.

Falana made this known via a statement issued on Sunday, September 18, urging the under-fire police spokesperson to retract his statement.

Recall that Legit.ng reported that Adejobi was in the middle of a backlash when he reacted to a viral video of a civilian who was seen dragging the riffle of a police officer who seized his phone.

Adejobi's tweet reads:

"Even if a policeman in uniform slaps a civilian, the civilian has no right to retaliate”.

This tweet sparked a lot of reaction as Nigerians were not pleased with his comment and accused him of being biased and not being just with his judgment.

What does the law say about assaulting a civilian and police

Falana in his statement made reference to the statutory stipulation of the constitution that prohibits ill-treatment of citizens as well as their fundamental rights to dignity.

He stated that section (2)(b) of the Anti Torture Act, 2017 states issues a 25 years penalty for an assault on a civilian while there is also an alternative for the victim to also file a lawsuit for monetary compensation as stipulated in the Anti-Torture Act.

The senior lawyer did also admit that an assault on a police officer is a serious offence that will see the offender get a 3-year jail term under the Criminal Code.

Falana said the comments of the police spokesperson are “highly inciting and provocative" and do not give the right impression about the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

He said:

“If the statement is not withdrawn within the next 24 hours, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, should not hesitate to replace Mr. Adejobi with another police officer who has unqualified respect for the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people."

Scores of police at Lagos Airport as Nigerian students protest

In another development, the Murtala International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos state is currently being occupied by aggrieved protesting Nigerian students.

It was gathered that they flooded some of the areas of the airport in protest of the ongoing ASUU strike.

Heavy security personnel was on standby watching from a distance while the protest was ongoing as seen in a viral video.

Police release rapper, Ice Prince on bail

Meanwhile, ace Nigerian rapper Ice Prince Zamani who was recently arrested has regained his freedom after spending fourteen days in police custody.

The musician was arrested for allegedly abducting and assaulting a police officer who had tried to stop him for driving without a license plate number.

Ice Prince had written in a tweet shared on his Twitter handle after his release saying freedom is priceless.

Source: Legit.ng