The latest victim of Nigerian police’s brutality is singer and crown prince of the Oyo town, Adeyemi Adetona, better known as Tillaman. He...
The latest victim of Nigerian police’s brutality is singer and crown prince of the Oyo town, Adeyemi Adetona, better known as Tillaman.
He recently alleged that he was brutalised by the policemen at a checkpoint at Abraham Adesanya Epe, Lagos.
The police men on duty didn’t recognise who he was and he didn’t reveal his identify as well.
In a phone conversation with Pulse, the musician said he had just opened a bar and was coming from the site when he was apprehended by men of the police force close to Abraham Adesanya estate in Lekki, Lagos.
He explained, “I was trying to stop at the police checkpoint, but there was a trailer coming behind me with full speed, and I was trying to tell the police officers to allow me to pack my car very well because the trailer might have a failing brake since it is coming with full speed. So, I had to use my survival instincts to move the car a bit from the checkpoint.
“Even the policeman ran away from the checkpoint because the trailer kept coming at full speed. The next thing he corked his gun, told me to get down from the car, started searching the car, while he was at that he kept on abusing and cursing me.”
As if that wasn’t enough, he said they wanted his phone, adding that they were not interested to know who he was.
“He asked for my phone, he didn’t even ask me to introduce myself and I was just playing along because I didn’t even introduce myself as the son of the Alaafin of Oyo. While this was going on my friend, a lady was recording everything. He tried to assault her and I just told him that if he was doing the right thing, then you wouldn’t be assaulting anyone.
“The next thing he put the gun on my chest, threatening to kill me. I then used my left hand to remove the gun from him. While we were arguing, other officers came. They came with a tear gas gun. I then introduced myself to their boss who came out of the truck as the son of the Alaafin of Oyo; it is engraved on my body. Their oga who happened to be Yoruba saw it and became scared because the other officer was already dragging me to the station.
“But, the boss after recognising me as the son of the Alaafin of Oyo, decided to walk me down to my car. So, I was like if I was not the son of anybody that’s how they would have handled me anyhow.”
It was learnt from a source that the policemen in that area are known for brutalising young men on the claims of being suspected fraudsters and they must have mistaken Tillaman for a fraudster. The source said when he didn’t seem to comply they decided to give him a dose of beating.
The singer also shared the ugly experience via a post on his Instagram page:
“Police brutality!!! My horrible experience last night at a police check-point at Abraham Adesanya Epe, Lagos…. God
bless Nigeria.”
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