The Lagos State Police Command has brought Seun Kuti, the renowned Afrobeat musician and son of the late Fela Kuti, before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun at a Magistrate’s court in Yaba, Lagos State. The musician stands accused of assaulting a police officer, an offense that contravenes Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.

During the proceedings, the police prosecutor, S. A Adebese, requested the court to remand Kuti for a period of 21 days, pending the receipt of legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. However, the defense counsel, led by prominent lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, appealed to the court not to grant the remand application, citing unawareness of the request.

The incident leading to Kuti’s arraignment came to light through a viral video circulating on Saturday, capturing the musician engaging in an altercation with a police officer on the bustling Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State. Following an order for his arrest by Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, Kuti voluntarily surrendered himself at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja on Monday. Subsequently, he was transferred to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Lagos.

The case has garnered significant attention, as Seun Kuti’s music and family legacy have made him a prominent figure both within Nigeria and internationally. The court proceedings will continue as the legal process unfolds, determining the outcome of the charges leveled against the musician.