The Nigeria Police Force says it has commenced an investigation into a video trending on social media showing policemen interrogating a 25-year-old female suspect and asking her embarrassing questions about her sex life.
The police said this in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
The tweets read in part, “The Inspector General of Police has ordered discreet investigations into the circumstances surrounding the dehumanising treatment meted out to a female citizen in the above viral video.
“The IGP, while condemning the act, has directed the commencement of comprehensive investigations aimed at unravelling the true identity of the perpetrators with a view to bringing them to justice.
“Members of the public are hereby assured that any member of the Force found culpable in the incident will be made to face appropriate sanctions.”
In the undated amateur video which is about six minutes long, a policeman who identified himself as ‘Wyclef’ along with his colleagues, interrogate a young lady named Towobola.
Towobola was arrested in Ibadan when policemen raided a building where a suspected kidnapper was living.
The policemen, after taking the kidnap suspect away, faced Towobola, handcuffed her and accused her of sleeping with the alleged kidnapper.
Wyclef is seen mocking Towobola and telling her that young ladies are fond of dating men with questionable wealth which often lands them in trouble
He mockingly states that if he were to woo Towobola, she would not give in to his advances but would rather have sex with criminals.
The policeman subsequently asks her if she is a virgin and how many men she has slept with.
He repeatedly threatens to beat up the visibly scared lady if she fails to respond to his questions.
“You just met this guy recently right? Why did you stop seeing the guy you were sleeping with before? You saw a thief and followed him,” Wyclef says.
Towobola begs the policeman intermittently, insisting that she never knew the suspect was a criminal.
She claims to have just recently completed her National Youth Service Corps programme.
“Where is the guy that deflowered you? He doesn’t have money right?” Wyclef mockingly asks the lady.
“If the criminal didn’t have a car or money, would you have agreed to date him? Is it not because of money you’re dating him? Why did you sleep in his house? If I find out that you have slept with him before, what should I do to you?” the policeman asks.
Towobola, who claims to be a graduate of the University of Ibadan, insists that she has not had sex with the suspect and profusely pleads with the policemen not to video record her but her pleas attract laughter from the unmoved policemen.
In the concluding part of the video, Wyclef faces the camera and boasts that he “catches suspects like fowls”.
The video elicited criticisms from a large section of Nigerians on social media.
Many on Twitter said the policemen acted unprofessionally and ought to be sanctioned or dismissed.