Radio station manager accuses DPO of assault

The General Manager of a radio station, JAMZ 100.1FM, Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr Tony Awobode, has accused the Eleyele Divisional Police Officer of assaulting him.

Awobode, aka Don T, told journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday that he was riding a power bike on Sunday night when the incident happened.

He said the clutch of the bike touched the side mirror of the car of the police officer, who descended on him.

Awobode alleged that the DPO rained slaps and punches on him before calling some policemen who whisked him away to the police station at Iyaganku.

Don T, however, said there was no dent on the DPO’s car.

He said, “In order to allow some of the motorcycles move (in the traffic) so that I could also continue, I tilted the power bike’s steering wheel a bit. After two or three bikes had passed, I tried to straighten the wheel back, and while trying to do that for balance, the clutch of the bike slightly tapped the side mirror of the car beside me; no damage was done at all.

“I apologised to the driver, but the man rolled the car window down and started insulting me.

“He stretched his hand out of his car and held my jacket, while he continued the insults. I got pissed off and used his exact words back on him. Then those in the car with him joined in the insult.

“He then told them to come down and hold me, and started shouting, ‘Call the police! Let them arrest this man!’ He came down from the car and this time grabbed my neck. I was shocked. At a point, I was getting choked.

“While I was telling the man to leave my neck and because he was not going to let go, I told him I was going to count five. I did and he still didn’t let go. The next thing I had was a punch right across my face.

“I lifted the front part of my helmet, leaving my face exposed. He still yanked off the helmet and ran multiple blows across my face. There is a video I made to this effect. I blanked out, and the bike fell.

“Eventually, I was taken to the Iyaganku Police Station with the bike. It was there I got to know that he was the Eleyele DPO, which even got me more perplexed.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, said he would soon give an update on the matter.

He, however, had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.