The Nigeria Police Force late Monday confirmed that the police officers who ran over a handcuffed man, Success Ehimare, in the Ekpoma area of the state, have arrived at its headquarters in Abuja.
The spokesperson of the police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this via a text message to our correspondent.
Adejobi’s response followed an inquiry by this newspaper on the latest development regarding the case.
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He simply said, “Yes”, when asked if the officers had reported to the police headquarters in line with the police leadership’s promise to investigate the matter.
“We will address them tomorrow,” he added when further asked about the number of officers involved and the likely outcome after an expected orderly trial.
Adejobi was, however, silent on the number of officers involved and what punishment awaits them if found culpable.
Also, THE WHISTLER could not immediately confirm the ranks of the police officers and where they are currently being detained in Abuja.
On June 29, an eyewitness captured a disturbing video of officers running over Ehimare for about 15 seconds.
Before he was run over, Ehimare was sighted lying on an untarred road in handcuffs. He was positioned close to the bumper of a Sienna vehicle occupied by the yet-to-be-identified officers.
The officers drove the vehicle over Ehimare despite the pleas from onlookers at the scene.
The Police authorities condemned the incident while disclosing that the officers had been detained at the Edo State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where they were undergoing interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Edo command in reaction to the development, said six of its officers had intercepted an unregistered Lexus car and demanded the vehicle particulars from the driver while on a routine stop and search duty along Ihumudumu Road in Ekpoma.
The command said the driver “became aggressive and refused to oblige the request of the Police operatives”.
The police in Edo further noted that the driver, rather than comply, “attacked them, inflicted injuries on them, and destroyed Police vehicle”.
The command, on June 30, said it was at that juncture that the man was “arrested, handcuffed, and identified as one Success Ehimare before the incident that is currently trending in social media occurred”.
As of Friday, Ehimare was said to have been taken to the Irrua Specialist Hospital for medical attention where he was battling for his life, but according to the Edo police at the time, “he is responding to treatment”.