According to the police, the inspector was enforcing the Lagos State Government’s ban on wrong parking when he stopped a motorist attempting to violate the directive.
The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed a viral social media narrative claiming that a police inspector seen being beaten in a trending video was caught stealing, insisting the claim is false and deliberately misleading.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the Command said preliminary findings revealed that the officer is attached to the Lagos State Taskforce and was carrying out official duties along Brown Street, Oshodi, when the incident occurred.
According to the police, the inspector was enforcing the Lagos State Government’s ban on wrong parking when he stopped a motorist attempting to violate the directive.
The driver reportedly became violent, leading to a confrontation during which the officer “accidentally discharged shots onto the road,” causing debris to hit some passersby.
The statement reads in part, "The Lagos State Police Command has seen a video circulating widely across various social media platforms showing an Inspector of Police being beaten, with a caption falsely alleging that he was caught stealing.
“The Command wishes to categorically clarify that the narration accompanying the video is false and misleading.
"The Inspector in question is an officer attached to the Lagos State Taskforce. He was on official duty enforcing the State Government’s ban on wrong 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.
"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 Inspector has been subjected to disciplinary actions in line with established police procedures for his unprofessional conduct."
Meanwhile, the Command announced the arrest of 13 suspects identified in the viral footage attacking the police officer.
"They are: 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 ‘n’ 25 years, Sodiq Omoniyi ‘m’ aged 26 years, Chukwudi Patience ‘f’ aged 25 years, Godstime Okafor ‘f’ 26 years, Chinedu Divine ‘m’ 29 years,” the police statement said.
"The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, while condemning the unprofessional conduct of the personnel involved, strongly warns against any form of attack on police officers performing lawful duties,” the statement added.
“He reiterated that assaulting law enforcement officers is a criminal offence and will not be condoned under any circumstances.”
The Command urged residents to refrain from spreading unverified claims and to cooperate with security agencies in maintaining peace across the state.