Abdulgafar Ahmad Oluwatoyin, popularly known as Cute Abiola, has expressed his strong disapproval towards the Nigerian Police Force for threatening to arrest him over his portrayal of wearing their uniform in his viral skits.
On July 27th, 2023, the Nigerian Police Force issued an official statement via their Twitter handle, stating that Cute Abiola could face arrest and prosecution for his highly disrespectful and derogatory portrayal of the police uniform in his two viral skits. The skits depicted him dressed in a police uniform, forcefully demanding money from individuals at a checkpoint.
According to the police statement, Cute Abiola’s skits are in direct violation of Section 251 of the Criminal Code and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law. The police had previously warned skit makers and filmmakers to refrain from desecrating their uniform or accoutrements.
In response to the official statement, Cute Abiola remained unperturbed and seemingly mocked the Nigerian Police Force’s threats to arrest him for wearing the uniform. He expressed his lack of fear by posting a motion emoji of veteran actress Iya Awero (Lanre Hassan) in the comment section of Instablog9ja, garnering support from social media users.
Many individuals on social media criticized the Nigerian Police Force for focusing on issues like this instead of addressing more critical matters such as armed robbery, killings, and kidnappings happening in the country. Some users defended Cute Abiola, suggesting that his skits shed light on the unfortunate reality of what many Nigerians experience at the hands of the police.
Amidst the controversy, some believe that Cute Abiola could potentially win the case with a strong legal team and even counter sue for harassment, while others argued that the focus should be on reforming and overhauling the Nigerian Police Force instead of targeting skit makers.
Overall, the situation sparked a heated debate on social media, with differing opinions on the portrayal of police in entertainment and the larger issues surrounding law enforcement in Nigeria.
