Police tackle artiste Praiz over alleged harassment by SARS (Details, pics)

The harassment allegation made against men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad by a rhythm and blues artiste, Praise Adejo, aka Praiz, has attracted the wrath of the Lagos State Police Command.

The police said the 33-year-old’s claim was an attempt at “cheap social media blackmail,” describing his conduct during the incident as rude and disrespectful of men in uniform.

In the heat of the #EndSARS campaign, the social media had been agog with the news of the arrest and alleged harassment of the ‘Rich and Famous’ crooner. He had said the victim, who spotted a beard, wore a fez cap and a gold chain, was in an Uber cab en route to Eleko Beach, Ajah, when the car passed by the policemen who were on patrol on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

Praiz’s manager, Wale Bello, had told newsmen that some police operatives had thought that the artiste was a Yahoo boy (Internet fraudster) while he was going for an occasion.

“These unprovoked actions on the part of the driver, whose true identity at that time was unknown to the patrol men, made them to be even more suspicious of him and so they requested him to come with them to see the Area Commander, ACP Felix Oben, whom they had already called to report the conduct of the man to.

“It was at the area commander’s office that they got to know that he is a musician that goes by the name Praiz. The area commander questioned him and advised him to be of good behaviour. He, thereafter, departed the police station peacefully without any molestation whatsoever.”

He noted that the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, would have dismissed the policemen if they erred, adding that the cops were only performing their duties when they ran into the artiste.

Oti said the command felt “scandalised by Praiz’s rudeness” to the policemen who were trying to ensure law, order and safety on the road.

“It is also instructive to note that the officers are not SARS operatives as erroneously assumed by Praiz, but conventional policemen in their uniforms serving at Area ‘J’ Command Headquarters.

“The Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform residents that the present Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, had on assumption of office set up the Citizens Complaint Centre with dedicated lines where complaints against police actions can be lodged for necessary actions. Celebrities are, therefore, advised to take advantage of these numbers or call the Police Public Relations Officer instead of resorting to cheap social media blackmail,” he added.