According to the petition, Okoye accused Attababa and others of assaulting him and threatening his life.
The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, has reacted to a viral video showing the arrest of Mercy Attababa, a student of Lagos State University (LASU), assuring the public that justice will be served transparently.
In a statement issued by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ayuba Umma, the police explained that Attababa’s arrest followed a petition by one Emeka Okoye.
According to the petition, Okoye accused Attababa and others of assaulting him and threatening his life.
Okoye alleged that suspected cultists, armed with dangerous weapons, stormed his residence on July 13 and 14, issuing threats to him and his family, which forced them to flee for safety.
The police confirmed that after taking Attababa’s statement during their investigation, she was released to the Welfare Director of the LASU Students’ Union Government.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade, has ordered that the case be transferred to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for a thorough investigation and appropriate action.
The police further disclosed that the officers seen in the viral video have been identified and assured that necessary disciplinary measures will be taken against them.
“The Command assures members of the public that justice will be transparently served,” the statement added.
A disturbing footage, shared by a Facebook user identified as Obi Franklin, had shown how the LASU student was being dragged and bundled into a vehicle by men wearing what appears to be police uniforms, with at least one of them visibly armed with an automatic rifle.
The men reportedly informed neighbours that they were taking her to a location called “Zone Two,” which, according to reports, is not a recognised police station.
Her current whereabouts remain unknown, sparking fears for her safety.
Franklin, in his post, had raised the alarm and tagged various human rights organisations, celebrities, and student groups, including Human Rights Watch, VeryDarkMan, LASU Students Association, and the Nigeria Police Force.
“THE LASU STUDENT THAT HAD A CASE WITH HER LANDLORD TREATS AND OPPRESSION HAS BEEN ARRESTED FORCEFULLY BY MEN DRESSED AS SECURITY OFFICERS WITH ONE WE SEE WITH AN AUTOMATIC RIFLE TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION,” Franklin wrote. “THEY TOLD HER NEIGHBORS THEY WERE TO ZION TWO OF NO POLICE STATION. PLEASE SHARE UNTIL THE I.G OF POLICE AND THE V.C OF LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY SEE THIS.”
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