The videographer behind last Saturday’s viral video alleging the killing of a young man by a team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has been reportedly released from Police custody.
The videographer, identified as Makalomi Nicholas, was released on Friday after several Nigerians, including Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), called for his release.
Detectives of the Delta State Police Command had trailed him to an undisclosed location in Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North council area, and arrested him Monday.
In a video viewed by The Nation, Nicholas, while being interviewed by an officer and held in cuffs, narrated Saturday’s incident.
“We saw the boy standing on the door side of the vehicle. Everybody told him not to jump and stay put so they (policemen) can take him where they wanted. And we followed behind.
“Not up to a second, we saw him on the floor. He jumped. Because it was only the boy and the driver,” he stated in the video.
He further denied posting other videos, depicting policemen shooting at unarmed persons in the false representation of the Ughelli incident.
The videos caused serious tension across Nigeria, with renewed agitations for the scrapping of SARS throughout the week.
The Police had promised to charge him to court on allegations of inciting violence, fake news, and other criminal charges.
When reached for comments, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, could not confirm the release.
“I don’t know about that (the release), but we have charged him to court,” she said.
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