Police demote Sergeant, reprimand 2 Inspectors for assaulting man with smoke gunner

The Imo State Police Command has demoted an officer, Sergeant Anayo Ekezie, to the rank of Corporal, for brutalising a middle-aged man with a smoke gunner.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Okoye said the demoted officer was identified in a viral video showing police officers assaulting the young man along the Owerri–Aba Road.

Okoye stated that the command, in response, initiated a disciplinary action against the officers.

He listed other police officers seen in the video of the assault as Inspector Ofem Obongha and Inspector Obinna Okereke, all from the Safer Highway Unit.

The police spokesman said: “Following a review of the video, the command conducted an orderly room trial in line with the Nigeria Police Force disciplinary procedures.

“Sergeant Ekezie was found guilty of using his issued smoke gunner in the assault and has been demoted to the rank of Corporal.

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“Inspectors Obongha and Okereke were severely reprimanded for failing to exercise proper supervisory control, which allowed the unprofessional conduct to occur.”

Okoye said the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, condemned the officers’ actions, describing them as a breach of the Force’s Code of Conduct and human rights standards.

He quoted Danjuma as reiterating the zero-tolerance policy for police misconduct, promising appropriate action for those found guilty.

Danjuma urged members of the public to report any incidents of police misconduct through the Complaints Response Unit (CRU).

The Star