Shehu Sani: Police Shouldn’t Have Handcuffed Seun Kuti

A former senator, Shehu Sani, has reacted to photos and video showing the moment Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat maestro, Fela Kuti, was arrested.

Daily Trust had reported how the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, ordered the arrest of Kuti after he was captured assaulting a police operative in uniform.

In the early hours of Monday, the musician turned himself in to the police, where he was placed under arrest.

The youngest son of Fela showed up in company of his lawyer and a family representative.

Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti in police net, to face trial

Seun Kuti And The Burden Of Policing Nigeria

Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a tweet.

“Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, in the early hours of today turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, in company of his lawyer and family representative. He has been placed under arrest in line with the law. The Command appreciates the public for their concern and assures that the ongoing investigation will be detailed, transparent, professionally pursued; and justice will be manifestly served for all parties involved,” Hundeyin wrote alongside pictures of him in handcuff.

Reacting to the development, Sani, in a tweet, said there was no need to handcuff the musician, who voluntarily surrendered himself.

“Even though I have been handcuffed for many years, there’s no reason to handcuff Seun who has voluntarily surrendered himself,” he tweeted.

While some Twitter users agreed with Sani, others said, Kuti deserved the treatment.

Below are some tweets:

Handcuffing someone who voluntarily subjects himself to an arrest is plainly silly. Handcuffing is meant for people who have a tendency to evade arrest and is not reserved for someone who voluntarily visits the police station to effect his own arrest. But we don’t have the…

— RedPenofDoom (@Official_Isaaco) May 15, 2023

That is the protocol for arrest and detention worldwide for established criminal offenses. I wish he had tried what he did in Nigeria in the USA. By now, you will be wearing black on black and signing the condolence register.

— Innocent Onyebuchi Idemili (@innomside) May 15, 2023

The suspect has a history of violence, so it’s safe for everyone to restrain him.
This isn’t out of place because baba fit slap person inside police station or worse case scenario baba begin drag weapon with Ekelebe.
The handcuff comes in handy in these cases.

— Lawrence I. Okoro ( Sir Law ) (@LawrenceOkoroPG) May 15, 2023