More details have emerged on the altercation with a police officer that led to the arrest and detention of Afrobeat star, Seun Kuti.
KanyiDaily had published a viral video showing the moment Seun Kuti assaulted and slapped a police officer on Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba ordered the arrest of the musician and also directed that a probe be carried out to ascertain the facts of the case.
It was gathered that policemen stormed Kuti’s Lagos resident on Saturday night and Sunday morning to arrest him, but did not meet him.
After reportedly going into hiding, Seun Kuti turned himself in to the police on Monday morning, accompanied by his lawyer and a family representative.
Full Story About Seun Kuti And Police Officer
According to PUNCH, the musician bashed the policeman’s vehicle and slapped the officer when he confronted him about the accident on the Third Mainland bridge.
The police officer was said to have trailed Seun Kuti to his Akin Osiyemi residence off Allen Avenue in Ikeja where the musician apologised and gave him the sum of ₦12,000 to repair his damaged vehicle on Saturday.
Sources said that despite accepting the apology and money, the policeman reported the incident at the Area F Police Command in Ikeja, and deposited the ₦12,000 at the counter while he gave a written statement concerning the incident.
A source said, “Seun Kuti was the one that bashed the officer’s vehicle, and the policeman followed him to call his attention to it, but the musician alighted from his car and slapped the policeman as seen in the trending video. However, the officer reported the incident at the Police Command in Ikeja.”
“The policeman was alone. After the altercation, he followed Seun Kuti to his home in Ikeja, and the musician apologised to the policeman and gave him ₦12,000 to repair his damaged vehicle.
“But the officer reported the incident at the Area F Police Command in Ikeja, and deposited the ₦12,000 at the counter while he gave a written statement concerning the incident,” another source said.
Responding to an inquiry in a telephone interview on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that Seun Kuti had on Saturday apologised to the assaulted policeman and given him the sum of ₦12,000 for vehicle repair.
Hundeyin said, “Although the investigation is still ongoing, but your correspondence is correct. Seun Kuti apologized to the officer on Saturday, and gave him ₦12,000 to repair his damaged vehicle, after the officer followed him to his house in Ikeja after the altercation.
“Fortunately, the policeman had earlier reported the incident at the Area F Police Command, and deposited the ₦12,000 with the Command, before the video of the assault went viral on social media.”
Meanwhile, Seun Kuti is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, popularly known as Panti, in Yaba, Lagos State.
