Singer Seun Kuti Arrested for Assaulting a Police Officer in Lagos

Policemen stormed  Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti’s Lagos apartment and the African shrine, in the Ikeja area of Lagos to arrest him, following an order from the Inspector General of Police, after he was captured on video assaulting a police officer. 

Seun Kuti was recently caught on camera slapping a uniformed policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

A 12-second video clip that went viral on Saturday 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.”

Following the incident, police operatives were at Seun’s place on Saturday night and Sunday morning as ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Baba Usman Alkali but did not meet him.

A source told Vanguard that efforts were being made to apprehend Suen, who is suspected to have gone into hiding.

Condemning Seun’s action, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Centre, Mr. Okechukwu Nwagunma, said: “Section 98 of the Police Act 2020-98 states that ‘A person who assaults, obstructs or resists a police officer in the discharge of his duty, or aids or incites any other person to assault, obstruct or resist a police officer or other person aiding or assisting the police officer in the discharge of his duty, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine ofN500,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months or both.

“Where a person is called upon to aid and assist a police officer who is, while in the discharge of his duty, assaulted or resisted or in danger of being assaulted or resisted, and the person refuses or neglects to aid and assist, the person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N I 00,000 or imprisonment for a term of three months or both”.

“Since Seun claims that the police officer wanted to kill him, the Police should impartially and exhaustively investigate the case so as to unravel the full facts and take appropriate actions in line with the findings and the law,” he stated.

Meanwhile, rights activst and lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday, said Seun, had sought his legal service following the IGP’s order to immediately arrest the singer.

Falana said: “I am his lawyer and he has briefed me. He certainly has evidence. This is not the first time he is dealing with the police.”

Falana added that the embattled singer would turn himself in on Monday, saying, “He is going to report himself to the police tomorrow morning (today). There is no problem at all.”

Reacting to the order via his Instastory on Saturday night, Kuti said the officer attempted to kill him and his family members. He added that the policeman had apologised and had been forgiven him.

Seun also said he would give the police full cooperation during the investigation.

He wrote, “He tried to kill me and my family. I have the proof but I no dey chase clout. He has apologised and I have agreed not to press charges. Make una mind una business make the poor guy no lose him job.

“I welcome the investigation and will give my full cooperation! I also pray to the IG that whoever is wrong should be indicted”.

In a recent development, Fela Kuti on Monday kept to his word that he would cooperate with the police, by visiting the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa.

At the time of filing this report, Seun Kuti and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika were still with the police commissioner.

“Seun Kuti and a senior lawyer, Olumide Fusika have gone to see the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, they’re there now,” a source told Sahara reporters on Monday morning.

“IGP Usman Alkali Baba assures Nigerians that acts of contempt/disdain for symbols of authority will not be tolerated while offenders of such hideous crimes will be surely brought to book,” the spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi had said in a statement.