Man arrested over attack on policewoman

The Lagos State Police Command said it has arrested a 32-year-old man, Yemi Ayeni, over alleged attack on a female police officer.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that a video of a suspect assaulting the female police officer had gone viral on social media.

The Command’s spokesman, Bala Elkana, in a statement said on August 9, 2020, at about 5:30pm, the Ilemba Hausa Police Station received a distress call that a female Police Officer, Inspector Martina Onyeacho on traffic control at Shibiri bus stop, Ilemba Hausa was in distress.

Elkana said a patrol team was promptly deployed to the scene to rescue her from her assailant.

He said during the course of investigation, the suspect, Yemi Ayeni, was arrested while the police woman was quickly taken to hospital for treatment.

He said the police officer sustained various degrees of injuries from punches and beating she received from the suspect.

“According to eye witnesses’ account, the suspect who presented himself as a soldier, was a passenger in a commercial bus that obstructed traffic flow on the busy road, waiting for passengers.

“The suspect was angered by the order issued by the traffic police woman to the driver to move his vehicle away from the main road to pave way for free flow of traffic. He claimed that the police woman did not accord him the respect he deserves as a soldier seated in the front of the bus. That she was wrong to have challenged the driver while he was there. He followed up with physical assault on her, beating her with sticks, while punching and kicking her.

“During questioning, the suspect stated that he spent four months at the Nigerian Army Depot Zaria in 2002 but was dismissed from training on mental health grounds. And since then, he has been posing as a soldier. He has a wife and a daughter who left him six months ago. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Elkana further stated that the suspect would be charged to court at the end of Investigation.