Since the ever increasing popularity of social media in Nigeria, a couple of Police officers have lost their jobs because they were caught in the act of demanding and taking bribe. When videos of such acts are recorded and uploaded on the internet by the victims, it goes viral instantly which makes it impossible for the police authorities to ignore.
I have severally imagined what the outcome would be if the police catches anyone trying to record a video or snap a photo of such bribery acts or related incidences. With my double experience with the Police, I need no soothsayer to relate how bad it will likely be.
So, it was unsurprising when men of the Nigeria police on Friday evening in Lokoja almost lynched a photo journalist, Okanyi Enemali, who was alleged to have taken a shot of a policeman taking bribe.
The incident took place in front of the Lokoja Specialist Hospital as reported by "Sahara Reporter" where as many as eight armed policemen beat the helpless man for about 30 minutes until he almost lost consciousness. The policemen then dragged him into their Hilux van which the inscription: B OPS KGS COMMAND 1.
Eyewitnesses believe that if Okanyi does not receive proper medical attention, he is unlikely to survive the assault. There is no report on his condition at the moment.
As he was being bundled into the vehicle, Okanyi kept crying, "I'm a journalist, save me".
Policemen in Nigeria, famously corrupt, are understood to be nervous over compromising pictures and video of bribe-taking among their ranks that have been published in recent times. Police Public Relation Officer in the state latersaid that the Divisional Police Officer in the area did not report any incident of such to the Police command. He said nothing of such happened in the state.
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