Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti had reportedly apologised and given the sum of ₦‎12,000 to the assaulted police officer to repair his damaged vehicle on Saturday before the incident went viral on social media.

Naija News recalls that Kuti was over the weekend, involved in an altercation with a police officer on the Third Mainland bridge in Lagos and slapped the officer during the encounter.

Following the encounter, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba ordered the arrest of the singer for investigation.

Sources told The PUNCH that the assaulted officer had trailed Seun Kuti to his Akin Osiyemi residence off Allen Avenue, Ikeja after the musician bashed his vehicle on the Third Mainland bridge.

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 concerning Ṣeun’s apology and monetary tip, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, told The PUNCH 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.”

Seun Kuti is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, popularly known as Panti, in Yaba, Lagos State, following a visit to the FCID over the alleged assault.

Seun Kuti, the son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, risks three years imprisonment

According to section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act, if found guilty of assault against the yet-to-be-named police officer, Ṣeun Kuti is liable to spend three years in prison.

The Act reads, “Anyone who assaults, resists, or willfully obstructs a police officer while acting in the execution of his duty, or any person acting in aid of a police officer while so acting is guilty of felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.”

The Police High Command, on Monday, confirmed that the much-touted plot to scuttle the May 29th official Inauguration of the new administration of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima is real.

Addressing Newsmen in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, however, said that the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces particularly intelligence officials have launched a massive manhunt against the criminal-minded elements behind the evil plot.

The IGP explained the Police and other security forces in the country decided to embark on a massive manhunt device against such individuals and groups in order to suppress the subversive elements who had been trying to destabilize the peaceful environment currently being enjoyed in the country.

According to him, “Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 general elections, it has been observed that some major political actors that the outcome did not favour, have been issuing public threats that are directed at instigating actions to frustrate the Presidential inauguration ceremony on 29th May 2023.

“The Nigeria Police and the national intelligence community have been closely monitoring the activities of these political elites as well as other elements who have formed themselves into unpatriotic brands whose only fantasy, in recent times, is to subvert our national security interests.

“In so doing, they seem to be bent on deploying extra-judicial and undemocratic means to truncate our democratic heritage in the advancement of their narrow personal political considerations.

“The beauty of democracy lies not just in the freedom of the citizens to freely exercise their franchise within the electoral cycle. It is also hinged on the right of aggrieved political actors to submit grievances on the electoral outcome to the judicial process for consideration,” the police chief said.

The IGP declared that the security agencies would no longer tolerate any utterance capable of throwing the country into turmoil, adding that any political actor who does not heed the warning will be made to face the wrath of the law.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the imperative of peace in our national life cannot be over-emphasized. Sustenance of peace and security is even more expedient at this stage in our national democratic transition.

“Consequently, while the Nigeria Police, in synergy with other security agencies and the intelligence community, continues to closely monitor the activities of these political elements, it has become expedient to make some clear statements.

“Firstly, the Nigeria Police hereby sternly warns all political actors with subversive agenda and their collaborators, particularly, their foot soldiers who they are exposing to political radicalization and extremism to, henceforth, jettison their ongoing premeditated attempts to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the 29th May 2023 Presidential inauguration ceremony.

“Secondly, any such persons, regardless of their political affiliations who continuously engage in acts that are inimical to our nation’s democratic and security interests should not be in doubt on the firm determination of the Nigeria Police under my watch to closely collaborate with the law enforcement family and the intelligence community to defend our democracy, keep the internal security order stable and optimally deploy our common unique assets towards guaranteeing the successful conduct of the Presidential inauguration ceremony.”