Seun Kuti, Afrobeat musician and son of the legendary Fela Kuti, is currently in hot water with the Police Service Commission (PSC) over an alleged assault on a police officer on the Third Mainland bridge in Lagos State. The PSC Chairman, Dr Solomon Arase, has demanded Seun’s immediate prosecution, stating that this will serve as a deterrent to other citizens. The PSC insists that no one has the right to assault a policeman in uniform and on official duty, no matter the offense committed by the police officer.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Head of Press and Public Relations of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, praised the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for his prompt action in ordering Seun’s arrest and prosecution. Ani also condemned the musician’s actions, saying that he has “diminished the sanctity of the symbol of authority of the Nigerian nation.” The PSC demands that Seun be arraigned immediately and that the Inspector General ensure that the matter is followed to its logical conclusion to restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police as the lead agency in internal security.
Arase, a retired Inspector-General of Police, insists that no matter the offense committed by the police officer, no one has the right to assault a policeman in uniform and on official duty. Ani further noted that the PSC chairman frowned at Seun’s attempt to slap the police officer, stating that Nigeria is not a Hobbesian state where might is right. Arase also commended the police officer for refusing to be provoked by Seun’s actions, stating that the situation could have been much worse.