The Nigeria Police Force has warned comedians and skit makers in the country about recent disturbing prank videos.
Speaking on the latest trends by skit makers, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, warned some of the comedians and pranksters using a dummy or real guns to act to be mindful of their acts, saying police operatives can mistake them for some criminals and gun can be fired at them at any sight.
Goldennewsng reports that CSP Adejobi gave the caution in a video record made available to the public domain during the weekend.
While noting that the police could not stop the citizens from engaging in their means of livelihood, Adejobi urged the skit makers and comedians to regulate their activities because they are exposing Nigerian lives to danger.
According to the police, the prank masters and skit makers should not degenerate into offence and other dangerous and unlawful activities that can endanger people’s lives or subject them to dehumanisation.
This development is becoming so dangerous and exposing people to unnecessary dangers and all sorts of dangers in our society. Those who are into these risk their lives a lot and of course, they expose the lives of other people to such dangers,” Adejobi said.
He said the awareness became necessary so as to caution that holding guns and molesting people on the streets are extreme that the security agents frown at.
The FPRO said, “We just think there is a need for us to speak to that. There is a need for us to advise our people. Can we please regulate whatever we are going? Inasmuch as we can’t ask you not to do your business or stop you from having your means of livelihood, the thing is becoming so dangerous.
Someone was carrying a dummy gun one day to do a prank, and if police officers on patrol come across you, they would actually think you are a criminal planning to carry out a robbery operation, and they fire you with a death warrant, would you say is an extrajudicial killing?”
Without mentioning any name, the police officer went further to talk about a popular skit maker who used to physically assault Nigerians in his pranks, saying that it was becoming an offence and should be regulated, Naija News reports.
“This is getting out of hand, and I think we need to talk to ourselves. Those of you that are doing pranks be careful of what you do so that it does not become an offence because the law is no respecter of anybody.
“If you say a girl is not dressing properly, does it warrant you are picking a cane to beat the girl as if you’re beating your daughter? Even if the girl is your daughter, I don’t think you should beat your daughter in that manner,” Adejobi said.
