The Lagos State Police Command has firmly debunked the theft allegations made against Lagos police inspector, describing the accompanying narration as “false and misleading.”
The video, which circulated widely on Wednesday, captures the uniformed officer seated on the ground with blood streaming from his mouth, appearing distressed and pleading amid a crowd of dozens recording the scene with their phones. Voices in the background repeatedly accuse him of theft, though details of any alleged offence remain unclear in the clip. A yellow commercial bus inscribed “Ayedade” hints at the incident occurring along a bustling Lagos axis, with another officer later pushing through the mob to intervene.
According to a statement released on Thursday by Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the inspector, attached to the Lagos State Taskforce, was enforcing the state government’s ban on illegal parking along Brown Street, Oshodi. “In the course of his duty, he stopped a motorist who attempted to park wrongly. The motorist became violent, resulting in a heated confrontation,” Adebisi stated. “During the incident, the Inspector accidentally discharged shots onto the road, and debris from the impact affected some passersby. The mob immediately gathered, during which the Inspector was violently attacked and sustained serious injuries.”
The Command confirmed the inspector has faced disciplinary measures for “unprofessional conduct,” while thirteen suspects seen assaulting him in the video are now in custody and slated for prosecution after investigations conclude.
“The inspector has been subjected to disciplinary actions in line with established police procedures for his unprofessional conduct. In the same vein, thirteen (13) suspects captured in the viral video assaulting the officer have been arrested, currently in police custody, and will be prosecuted upon the completion of investigations,” the statement detailed, naming them as: Dele Oriade ‘m’ aged 39 years, Adekunle Olalere ‘m’ aged 40 years, Mudashiru Olamilekan ‘m’ aged 28 years, Anayo Achusie 34 years, Joshua Enwonyin ‘m’ aged 24 years, Okoro Okechukwu ‘m’ 26 years, Rilwan Lateef ‘m’ aged 32 years, Damilare Odebode ‘m’ aged 22 years, Haruna Aleshi ‘m’ 25 years, Sodiq Omoniyi ‘m’ aged 26 years, Chukwudi Patience ‘f’ aged 25 years, Godstime Okafor ‘f’ 26 years, Chinedu Divine ‘m’ 29 years.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, condemned the “unprofessional conduct of the personnel involved” but issued a stern warning that “assaulting law enforcement officers is a criminal offence and will not be condoned under any circumstances.”
The PRO urged the public to “remain calm, avoid spreading misinformation, and continue to cooperate with the police in maintaining law and order across the state.”
