Lagos Police Dissolve Tactical Squad After Viral Assault Video

The Lagos State Police Command has disbanded one of its tactical squads after officers were caught on video assaulting a motorist during a stop-and-search exercise.

The footage, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user identified as Somto with the handle #General_Somto, captured the moment officers stopped a motorist and tried to remove his glasses, which they suspected had a hidden video camera. The confrontation soon escalated, with one officer striking the man.

Reacting to the incident on Friday, the Command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, announced that swift disciplinary measures had been taken by the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh.

Hundeyin stated: “Following a thorough preliminary investigation, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has ordered the immediate detention of the entire team. The officers will face an orderly room trial in line with established disciplinary procedures to ensure justice is served swiftly and transparently. In addition, the entire Tactical Squad implicated in this matter has been dissolved with immediate effect.”

He further disclosed that a new tactical squad has been created. “A new Tactical Squad has been constituted, comprising officers who will adhere strictly to international best practices in policing. This new unit will operate with zero tolerance for corruption, while upholding the highest standards of respect for human rights and human dignity.”

The Nigeria Police Force also reacted through a statement on its official X page, condemning the officers’ behaviour.

The statement read: “We strongly condemn the actions of some officers captured in a viral video attempting to forcibly remove a pair of glasses from a motorist during a stop-and-search operation, and further assaulting him. The officers involved have been identified as personnel attached to the Lagos State Police Command. The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Lagos State Command has been contacted and has swiftly acted appropriately to ensure that the officers face commensurate disciplinary actions. He has equally ordered for the restructuring of the squad involved.”