Police dispute claim over injured schoolboy, arrest blogger

A school pupil has been hospitalised after a motorcycle crash in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, triggering sharply conflicting accounts, with the police denying brutality claims while the victim’s family insists a police action caused the injury.

A Facebook user, Promise Essien, on 20 January, addressed an online letter to the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Baba Azare, alleging that a police officer attached to F-Division, Ikot Ambang, assaulted a minor.

“I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a disturbing incident involving a police officer who physically assaulted and verbally abused a minor who was in school uniform at the time, on top of a motorcycle, which led to the breaking of his hand,” the letter read.

Mr Essien, who is a relative of the injured boy, urged the police to investigate the incident, identify the officer involved, ensure psychological care for the victim, and prevent future abuse.

When contacted, Mr Essien told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident occurred at F-Division, Ikot Ambang, along the Uyo–Ikot Ekpene Road.

Explaining the incident, Mr Essien said the motorcycle rider was taking the pupil to school when police operatives stopped him on a stop-and-search operation around the area.

“Apparently, he was late, so he refused to stop, and police threw a stick at the motorcycle rider,” an incident, he said, that caused a crash that led to the minor sustaining serious injuries.

He added that the boy was taken to a hospital while the police operative fled the scene to their station.

Police deny allegation

In a statement on Friday, the police dismissed the claim as “false, misleading.”

“At no time was any police officer involved in throwing any object at a motorcycle,” the police spokesperson in the state, Timfon John, said in the statement.

According to the police, the incident was a road traffic accident involving a cyclist, Akaninyene Noah, who was allegedly riding against traffic and collided with another motorcycle carrying two school children.

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“The injured children were immediately taken to a hospital,” the statement added.

The police said the cyclist was arrested, while the originator of the viral report, Imoh Emmanuel, had also been arrested for spreading false information.

Family raises concern

Idong Edet, a brother to the injured minor, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that his brother, who raised the alarm over the incident on Facebook, had been charged in court.

“I’m just returning from work now only to hear that the police have charged my brother in court,” he said.

“They are at the court at Fulga Street,” he added, noting that the injured minor was also present at the court.