Praiz was hysterical and rude during arrest – Police

One week after arresting R&B singer, Praiz, the Lagos State Police Command says the X3M Music artiste was provocative and rude during his encounter with policemen.

Praiz, 33, was stopped along the Lekki-Epe Expressway on Tuesday last week on the way to his label’s end of year party at Eleko Beach.

Initial reports claim he was arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who stopped the Uber cab he was riding in.

The policemen were said to have smashed his phone after he tried to record them.

A statement released by the police on Monday, however, contradicts that.

According to Chike Oti, who signed the statement, Praiz was flagged down for overspeeding. When the men in uniform approached the car to search, the artiste was said to have become “hysterical without provocation”.

The statement claims the Kogi indigene was not harassed as claimed on social media but was released as soon as his identity was confirmed and upon counselling by the police area commander.

PRESS RELEASE: OUR ENCOUNTER WITH THE SINGER CALLED PRAIZ. On the 19th day of December 2017, at noon hours, police men attached to Area ‘J’ Command Headquarters, Ajah, Lagos, who were on routine anti crime patrol along Lekki/Epe express way, noticed a car at top speed approaching their end. The police men sensed that the speed was much and so were alarmed hence they flagged down the car to check on the occupants and if necessary search the trunk of the car. When the car stopped, the officers who were in their uniforms approached the driver but to their disbelief, the driver who was yet to be addressed by the police men became hysterical without provocation and started shouting ” Sars, sars, sars ooo”. As he was shouting and pouring unprintable invectives on the officers of the law, he was at the same time filming them. These unprovoked actions on the part of the driver whose true identity at that time was unknown to the patrol men, made them 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. 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. The Police authority in Lagos nevertheless felt scandalized by Praiz’s rudeness to the men in uniform who were out to ensure law, order and safety along the Lekki/ Epe corridor. It is a matter of common knowledge that the Command Commissioner of Police, CP. Edgal Imohimi, who has dismissed a number of police men that abused their offices since assuming office, would not hesitate to deal with the policemen if they had erred. It is also instructive to note that the officers are not SARS operatives as erroneously assumed by Praiz but conventional police men in their uniforms serving at Area ‘J’ Command Headquarters. SP Chike Oti Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command.

A post shared by Lagos State Police Command (@policenglagos) on Dec 25, 2017 at 12:48pm PST

Praiz has used his encounter with the policemen to promote the #EndSARS campaign against police brutality and highhandedness in Nigeria.