Sources told SaharaReporters that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Akin Fakorede and the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, are leading efforts to have the officers detained and sanctioned, describing their action as an “embarrassment” to the IGP after pictures showing Sowore’s bandaged hand surfaced online.
Authorities under Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun have begun disciplining officers at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for allowing detained activist Omoyele Sowore to receive medical treatment for his broken right hand.
Sources told SaharaReporters that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Akin Fakorede and the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, are leading efforts to have the officers detained and sanctioned, describing their action as an “embarrassment” to the IGP after pictures showing Sowore’s bandaged hand surfaced online.
Meanwhile, the police leadership has shielded a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) responsible for breaking Sowore’s hand on Thursday, with no disciplinary action taken against him, sources said.
“The IGP has started punishing officers at the IRT for letting Sowore treat his broken hand. Meanwhile, the authorities are shielding the CSP who broke his hand,” a police source said.
“DSP Fakorede and Muyiwa Adejobi are leading the charge to ensure the officers are detained and punished for what they described as letting the officers embarrass the IGP over pictures circulating on Sowore’s broken and bandaged right hand.”
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Sowore was violently attacked early Thursday by at least eight police officers led by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) while resisting forced transfer to court without his lawyers and clothes. During the assault, Sowore’s hand was broken.
Instead of providing immediate medical care or launching a transparent investigation into the brutality, police authorities focused their efforts on suppressing the fallout from the leaked photo showing Sowore’s injury, SaharaReporters was told.
A source familiar with the situation told SaharaReporters: “The police authorities are attempting to cover up for the team that broke Sowore’s hand. They sent a representative to interview him in the presence of one of his lawyers, A.K. Musa.
“They even brought back the CSP who led the assault, but their main concern was how the photo of the injury leaked. Although they initially claimed they would confront the officer responsible, they later backed down and returned the activist to detention at the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office in the Apo area.”
The source added, “He has also been denied medical care; their only concern is discovering how the photo of his bandaged hand got out.”
Background
Sowore was detained on Wednesday after voluntarily honouring an invitation from the IGP Monitoring Unit over petitions filed against him, including allegations of forgery and criminal defamation.
The petitions were reportedly handed to him by DCP Akin Fakorede. One of the petitions came from the office of the IGP; the other was filed by a police officer who reportedly rose rapidly through the ranks due to her relationship with IGP Egbetokun.
The following morning (Thursday), Sowore was violently taken from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja at around 6 a.m., with the assault led by a CSP reportedly under the Force spokesperson’s command. Sowore resisted being taken without his clothes and lawyers, leading to the breakage of his hand.
Since his detention, Sowore has accused the police of intimidation and abuse of power, while groups across Nigeria have staged protests demanding his release.
SaharaReporters has chronicled how, rather than prioritising Sowore’s medical treatment or a transparent probe into police brutality, the authorities have been consumed with damage control over the leaked photo.
