“Seun has a history with the police and the military that has scarred him for life” – Reno Omokri

Notable political activist, Reno Omokri has made a case for embattled singer Seun Kuti and begged for his release, citing his experience with police growing up as a trigger for his actions.

Recall that Seun Kuti surrendered to the authorities after having an arrest warrant issued for him for assaulting a police officer.

The Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos granted an application to extend his remand for an additional four days.

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In a post via his Twitter page, Reno Omokri condemned Seun’s act, however, he blamed the police institution for being part of the problem of the traumas Seun suffered growing up.

He wrote;

“What Seun did was wrong. And I condemn it. But Seun has a history with the police and the military that has scarred him for life. They beat his Septuagenarian grandmother and threw her from the first floor to the ground. She died from the injuries sustained. His father carried her coffin to Dodan barracks in tears! Till today, NOBODY was punished for the crime against Olufunmilayo Kuti. They beat his father to an inch of his life. Multiple times. They burnt down their residence, with multiple vets and other property. They were never paid compensation. The police raided the shrine episodically, right from when Seun was a baby to his adulthood.

And even in this incident involving the slap, there was provocation from the policeman. I am not saying that the provocation justified the slap. My motive is just to put things in context.

What he did was condemnable. It is unacceptable. But when you look at his personal history, there are mitigating circumstances. And I beg the Inspector General of Police to take Seun’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder into account. Because even Buhari’s wife, Aisha, admitted that her husband also suffers from PTSD due to his experience with the Nigerian state apparatus.

The police is as institutionally to blame for what happened to that policeman as Seun. Let us do story here and not just justice.”

What Seun did was wrong. And I condemn it. But Seun has a history with the police and the military that has scarred him for life. They beat his Septuagenarian grandmother and threw her from the first floor to the ground. She died from the injuries sustained. His father carried… pic.twitter.com/8jhHHKgguB

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) May 18, 2023