Police attacks Peace Corps Commandant, seizes uniform

A police sergeant, Oluwole Oke, has been accused of physically attacking the Osun State Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria, PCN, Paul Ayinde.

He was also said to have confiscated the uniform of the corps member.

The commandant told Punch that one of his men was driving along the Ede-Ife Road when a team of policemen stopped him at a checkpoint at Agbungbu village.

He said his man was asked to produce his vehicle’s papers and identify himself. According to Ayinde, the corps officer did as the police instructed.

He said that after producing his papers and identifying him, Oke removed his beret and seized his belt, telling him that he had no right to wear the uniform because the organisation was not recognised by the laws of Nigeria.

The police sergeant was said to have refused to allow him to leave the spot after he had seized his cap and belt.

The Peace Corps officer was said to have been kept for two hours before the commandant arrived at the scene.

Ayinde said he went to the policeman and pleaded with him to release the seized items and let the man go but that the police officer refused and said “you are stupid for telling me that.”

He said, “He grabbed my shirt and assaulted me. He threatened me with his gun; his colleagues were not part of this, though. One of my people wanted to record the scene with my phone but the policeman damaged it. At this point, one of them came and released tear gas.”

He called on the state Commissioner of Police, whom he described as a “very good man” to educate his men on the Peace Corps.

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