Twitter users have warned Nigerians not to heed the Head of the Police Complaint Rapid Response Unit, ACP Yomi Shogunle, warning to Nigerians never to allow “a police chase or pursuit to occur”.
ACP Shogunle had on 25 July 2018 posted the warning on his Twitter account saying:
NEVER ALLOW A POLICE CHASE OR PURSUIT TO OCCUR.
Don’t run away from the police, please wait/stop when requested to do so.
No Judge will give a verdict of wrongdoing against the police or award compensation for any accidental bodily injury or loss of life in the process.
#YSGuide
NEVER ALLOW A POLICE CHASE OR PURSUIT TO OCCUR.
Don’t run away from the police, please wait/stop when requested to do so.
No Judge will give a verdict of wrongdoing against the police or award compensation for any accidental bodily injury or loss of life in the process. #YSGuide— Abayomi Shogunle (@YomiShogunle) July 25, 2018
READ ALSO! RUFUS GIWA POLYTECHNIC! One of the students, who had an accident during a SARS chase, is dead
But Nigerians are taking the warning lightly, with many advising that the best bet is to run when accosted by operatives of the Nigerian Police.
With the atrocities reported committed daily by members of the Nigerian Police, the reason behind their stance is not farfetched.
In his reaction, one Bello Gbolahan, who goes by the moniker @feyibell on Twitter, is against stopping when accosted by the Police. He insisted that the police will just arrest the person for doing nothing.
He wrote,
Hmmmmm they should not run abi…they will either be beaten, phone searched, called criminal, arrested and asked to call his/her people to come and bail them for doing nothing, may be arrested and implicated just to get a larger bail from families or killed for no just reasons.
Hmmmmm they should not run abi…they will either be beaten,phone searched ,called criminal ,arrested and asked to call his/her people to come and bail them for doing nothing ,may be arrested and implicated just to get a larger bail from families or killed for no just reasons.
— Bello Gbolahan (@feyibell) July 25, 2018
READ ALSO! THEY ACCUSED ME OF BEING A YAHOO BOY! SARS operatives torture musician in Lagos
For @spdauda, who described himself as a Chemical Engineer, Air Traffic Controller, and an Air Transport and Infectious Diseases expert, the fact that no judge will give judgement against the police for any injury in the process may be the reason some policemen behave unprofessionally.
He wrote,
Could this be why policemen behave unprofessionally, knowing the fact that no judge will give a verdict of wrongdoing against them?
Could this be why policemen behave unprofessionally, knowing the fact that no judge will give a verdict of wrongdoing against them?
— ??We’re Human First (@spdauda) July 25, 2018
@Victor_Abati, on his part, referred to a branch of the Nigerian Police as criminals. He wondered why Nigerians shouldn’t run for their lives, saying:
So you are saying when people see criminals disguised under the SARS arm of the police, they shouldn’t run for their lives? This has to be the most dumbshit advice I’ve heard in the 21st century! It’s like telling me not to run when I see a wild animal coming for me. #EndSARS
So you are saying when people see criminals disguised under the SARS arm of the police, they shouldn’t run for their lives? This has to be the most dumbshit advice I’ve heard in the 21st century! It’s like telling me not to run when I see a wild animal coming for me. #EndSARS
— ᐯIᑕTOᖇIᗩ’S ᗷᖇOTᕼᕮᖇ ?? (@Victor_Abati) July 25, 2018
READ ALSO! I’M SO PISSED! Dolapo Badmos reacts to viral video of SARS officers brutalising man with iron rod
Another Twitter user, @lanreekundayo, believes ACP Shogunle’s post as created a dilemma for Nigerians. His take is run or not when accosted by the Nigerian Police you are in trouble.
He wrote,
Naija police ? if you run ?♀️ you are in trouble if you don’t run ? u are in trouble… it’s better to run to where ppl can cover the scenario …
Naija police ? if you run ?♀️ you are in trouble if you don’t run ? u are in trouble… it’s better to run to where ppl can cover the scenario …
— Big poppa (@lanreekundayo) July 25, 2018
However, it is not all negatives for the Nigerian Police as some users who replied to ACP Shogunle’s post tried to paint the police in a good light.
One ‘Femi Amos/@f_amos, tried to explain the ACP statement. He advised, in replies to some of the negative tweets, that Nigerians shouldn’t risk their lives running from the police.
You really didn’t understand the statement. Let me try and explain: No judge will give judgement against the @PoliceNG for any injury you sustain resulting from a chase by the police. When you are stopped,please,stop.
— ‘Femi Amos (@f_amos) July 25, 2018
READ OTHER REACTIONS
Just for ur information sir…
Where I stay this the prices for police arrest. (Innocent victims oh)
1. Was around the scene is 10k
2. Was just passing is 5k
3. I stop to look is 20k
4. I live where it happened is 50kNow tell me, is voom not better than explanation?
— Sir G (@MCGoodnews) July 25, 2018
Hehehe dis man wouldn’t stop to amaze me. Did you ever first ask urself why Nigerians don’t have the trust to wait for a Nigerian police for whatever? Reform d ways of ur boys to public first. Awon were gbogbo.
— Ash Shakur (@MdShakur) July 25, 2018
Your tweet is erroneous and misguided. I have obtained judgment sum of N500m against the Nigerian Police in respect of a reckless killing by some police officer who shares in your misguided belief of impunity. If this is what u let your colleagues believe then you are dangerous!
— Kayode Omosehin (@omosehinkayode) July 25, 2018
He’s not in denial, he is dangerous and he knows it well. It’s why he (boldly) tweets scary stuffs.
— akúrúmoníwòn♣ (@bceelori) July 25, 2018
“Voom is better than statement” – old saying. Have you addressed police extortion from the supposed stopped suspect? Joking??
— Justice Maduforo (@JusticeMaduforo) July 25, 2018
People will run when police of today have device a measure of means of indicting (roping) individuals without any crime #jaapaaa level oga na boss which aspect of the sections give police right to slap anyone in their custody?#LETSDOTHERIGHTTHING
— Paparazhy (@slyme83) July 25, 2018
