The Anti-Kidnapping, Human Trafficking, Child Abuse and Drug Abuse Initiative (AKH-TRACADA) has called for a comprehensive investigation into a viral video showing Nigerian Police officers receiving money from a Chinese national, describing the footage as potentially orchestrated to discredit Nigeria’s security forces.
In a statement released in Abuja and signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Primate Belonwu Ezeanyaeche, the NGO raised serious concerns about the motive behind the recording and its subsequent circulation, warning against quick judgment of the police officers involved.
“This video is suspicious and appears strategically orchestrated to mock and undermine Nigeria’s law enforcement,” Ezeanyaeche said, adding that the footage might have been intentionally leaked to foreign media to portray Nigerian institutions negatively.
Correspondence gathered that the Nigeria Police Force had cautioned individuals and organisations against acts that could tarnish the image of the force, following the video’s circulation.
Ezeanyaeche expressed disappointment over what he described as a “deliberate act of provocation and humiliation” by the Chinese individual. He questioned whether the officers were fully aware of the setting or the intention behind the gathering, noting that such content could be manipulated to fit a malicious narrative.
“It is disrespectful to a country where the Chinese national and his family are thriving. No foreign national should enjoy protection from Nigerian security agencies while disrespecting those very institutions,” he emphasized.
The NGO boss urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to probe the Chinese national’s background, business operations, and immigration status in Nigeria. He also called on the police to reevaluate and potentially withdraw any security privileges granted to the individual.
“We must ask: who benefits from this footage and what narrative is being pushed? Nigerians deserve answers,” he said.
Ezeanyaeche cautioned the public not to rush to judgment against the officers seen in the video, stressing that AKH-TRACADA remains committed to protecting the dignity of Nigeria’s sovereignty and law enforcement system.
“It’s easy to vilify the officers, but videos can be edited, staged, or misrepresented. Let thorough investigations reveal the truth before we cast blame,” he added.
(NAN)