The Nigerian senator Elisha Abbo, who was seen on camera assaulting a lady in Abuja, has been invited by police to questioning.
Mr Abbo was told to report to the FCT Police Command Headquarters on Thursday morning as part of an urgent criminal inquiry into the assault, Commander Bala Ciroma said.
Mr Ciroma said the police officer who was with Mr Abbo during the incident but failed to safeguard the lady from the brutal assault was also being investigated for prospective disciplinary action.
“We have already commenced a serious and round-the-clock investigation into the matter,” Mr Ciroma said. “We have started inviting all the necessary actors and we will be visiting the scene of the incident as well.”
The police chief said the video will be analyzed as part of a forensic analysis to ensure complete fairness for all parties engaged in the criminal investigation.
Calls for Mr Abbo to be prosecuted have increased since the Senator’s video assaulting a lady at an adult toy store in Abuja was released on Tuesday afternoon.
The event took place on May 11 and was reported to the police who were unable to take action.
Widespread condemnation, including from Amnesty International, Atiku Abubakar and well-known celebrities, has kept the case of the attack on the front burner.
The Nigerian Senate quickly established a committee to investigate and submit a report with a two-week mandate.
Mr Abbo’s Democratic People’s Party (PDP) also condemned and summoned his action. The lawmaker confessed that he was the one in the video, but said that he was provoked.
Mr Ciroma urged Nigerians to be confident of the capacity of the police to explore the matter without fear or favour, stating that the present management of the police would not let the people down in the situation just because it affects a senator.
