NIGERIANS have tackled Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, for announcing on X, formerly known as Twitter, that a policeman attached to the children of a bilionaire Lagos businessman, Mr Razaq Okoya, has been detained while silent on Mr Okoya’s sons who were pictured abusing the naira.
Mr Adejobi wrote, “The policeman captured in the recent viral video shared by the sons of the lagos businessman, Chief Okoya, where they were abusing the naira, has been identified and detained for disciplinary action. The involvement of the policeman has been condemned, as it’s unethical. We will always strive hard to uphold the sanctity, credibility, and core values of the police. Thanks.”
By implication, Mr Okoya’s sons were pictured abusing the naira, the police detained the police escort who was there watching the situation but refused to speak on the action they intend to take against the billionaire’s children who abused the naira.
Nigerians tackle Adejobi
As a result of the post, Nigerians on X tackled the police spokesman, saying that it reflects the level of injustice perpetrated by even law enforcement officers.
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An X user, @Irunnia_, wrote: “The sons of Chief Okoya abused money and they were not punished. It was the policeman standing on his own that was punished. Omo Davido was right. In this life, have money or you go suffer.”
Another X user, @afrotrax, wondered why the poor are often made to pay for the sins of the rich in the Nigerian society.
“How the poor and voiceless are always made to pay for the crimes of the rich. Make this make sense- what would you have had the police officer do? Was the same police officer not attached to the rich family for ‘guard’ abi na bodyguard duty since that is what our police are now into!” So why should he be disciplined..because from where I stand he was already in the line of fire… he does something, he loses! He does nothing, he looses!”
Another X user, @Slanddi, tweeted, “The law is for the helpless obviously, so the boy is above it, and a reminder that the woman who assaulted a man has not been arrested as swiftly as the woman who assaulted the little child was, oh the law is for the common poor citizen obviously.”
Yet another X user, @Capless101, said the Nigerian police should be not be proud to make this kind of post on X or any other public platform.
“Shame on you for putting this out sir….if this is true then literally wanna punish this helpless police man,what can a police man living in one room correct a billionaire child..you people already shaped the country wrongly so I suggest you should for for the kid not police.”
An X user, @am_seantopsy, expressed a slightly different opinion, noting that the police should refuse to attach officers to the rich and wealthy members of the society.
“As long as the Law enforcer is working as a body guard, this will continue to happen. No civilized nation will belittle their Law enforcer to be doing the work of bouncers for some rich dude. If you need body guard,hire a private security company, not olopa,” the X user said.
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An X user, @daniel_mikah, wrote: “Stop this rubbish and do the right thing for once. What is the offense of the policeman exactly? The ones abusing the naira aren’t arrested,but the one watching is the one behind bars?”
The Bobrisky Case
The abuse of the naira has always been an offence, but it was never taken seriously until Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, was used as a test case. He was pictured abusing the naira in April 2024 in Ikorodu, Lagos, and subsequently arrested and arraigned in court.
He pleaded guilty before Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, who eventually sentenced him to six months imprisonment for the mutilation of the naira notes.
Idris Okuneye
Justice Awogboro ruled that “upon the admission of guilt by the defendant, testimony of PW1 and following the evidence tendered, the defendant is declared guilty as charged.”
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There are controversies over whether Okuneye, a cross dresser, eventually served his prison sentence or not. While he claimed he served the prison term, a social media influencer, Mr Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman, said he had audio clips showing that he did not serve the prison term.
Okuneye has since sued Mr Otse.
