Detained Singer, Seun Kuti May Undergo Drug Test

A report by The Nation has shown that the detained afrobeats singer, Seun Kuti may undergo a drug test.

The singer, who was grilled by crack detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, until late yesterday, slept in police custody for seemless continuation of interrogation today.

Giving an update around 3:15pm, Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect was still being interrogated at SCID, adding that he would be detained until completion of interrogation.

Sources told our Correspondent that drug test for Kuti was part of procedures in such cases.

It was gathered that his  alleged unprovoked grievous assault on a Police Inspector,  on the Third Mainland Bridge, Saturday, and subsequent boastful rants about the number of cops he had slapped were absurd and may have been triggered by illicit substances .

Kuti drew the wrath of the police and indeed majority of Nigerians following viral video footage of him physically assaulting a policeman on Third Mainland Bridge, Saturday.

Although the circumstances that led to the vicious and unwarranted attacks were not known, Kuti had claimed that the officer risked his life and that of his family after the video went viral.

Sources privy to the case yesterday told The Nation that Kuti was actually the erring party as he was the one who bashed the Inspector’s vehicle. It was alleged that rather than stop after hitting the policeman’s vehicle, Kuti continued his journey which prompted the officer to maneuver in order to make him stop his car.

Irked by this, the singer alighted his vehicle and viciously attacked the policeman despite the fact that the latter was in uniform. He pushed the policeman violently several times before landing slaps on the Inspector’s face.

After other motorists intervened, Kuti still did not acknowledge his mistake but rather drove to his Ikeja residence with the policeman following him closely.

A source said: “The matter is not as simple as you think. At the moment he is still smiling and feeling very unremorseful which means he does not understand the implication of his actions. I can tell you that he will have to undergo a drug test. This investigation will be comprehensive because he was even the erring party.

“The Inspector did not do anything to warrant the assault on him. After humiliating the policeman publicly, he got to his residence and apologized to him for bashing his vehicle. He then gave the Inspector N12,000 to go and repair his damaged vehicle. What about the public grievous assault?

 “Even his partner who came down to talk to him on Third Mainland Bridge, he shouted her down and told her to go back into the car. After he apologized at his residence and gave the Inspector N12,000, the officer went to the Area F command and complained in writing. He also submitted the N12,000 as an exhibit.

Earlie, Hundeyin confirmed that Kuti, who went into hiding after the Inspector General of Police (IG), Alkali Usman, ordered his immediate arrest, turned himself in accompanied by his lawyer and a family representative.

Operatives had gone in search of the singer at his residence and other places he frequented but met his absence. On Sunday evening, rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) revealed that he had been briefed to represent Kuti and that the suspect would turn himself in to the police yesterday morning.

Keeping to the promise, Kuti, according to a statement by police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, presented himself to the police and was subsequently arrested by detectives.

A short video seen by our Correspondent showed Kuti with his hands cuffed at his back while being escorted upstairs for questioning.

Confirming his arrest, Hundeyin wrote: “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.”

Asked about the drug test, Hundeyin said the police would not reveal details of their plan at the moment but assured that the investigation would be holistic, transparent and thorough.

He confirmed that Kuti later apologized to the Inspector for bashing his vehicle and gave him N12,000 for repairs, adding that the policeman, fortunately, reported the incident before the video footage surfaced on the internet.