Lagos police hold four officers, disband Ikorodu team over viral harassment video
- Four officers from a Lagos police tactical team in Ikorodu are in custody after a video showed a young man being harassed.
- The command says the whole team has been dissolved and the officers face disciplinary proceedings.
- Police credited residents with helping identify the officers quickly and urged the public to keep reporting misconduct.
The Lagos State Police Command has taken four of its officers into custody and dissolved the tactical team they belonged to, after a video spread online appearing to show a young man being harassed in the Odogunyan area of Ikorodu.
The command's spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Abimbola Adebisi, announced the move on Friday. She said the officers served with the Immortal Tactical Team in Ikorodu and were tracked down after the command opened an investigation when the footage surfaced.
According to Adebisi, the officers were called to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where it was decided that they be held while disciplinary proceedings are prepared. The entire team was also disbanded.
She confirmed all four were in custody, though only three stood before journalists at the briefing. The fourth, she said, was also being held.
Why this matters
For many Nigerians, a phone camera has become the surest way to challenge officers who step out of line. Videos of alleged police harassment often go viral before any official response, and the outcome can shape whether people trust the force enough to report abuse.
This time the response was quick. Adebisi thanked residents for helping to identify the officers within a short period, saying their cooperation made the arrests possible.
She said the command would not tolerate misconduct, adding that Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh Fatai has told officers to do their work with integrity and humility.
"Here in the Lagos State Command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, we say no to impunity," she said.
She urged Lagosians to keep reporting officers who act against the rules and directives of the Inspector General of Police.
What happens next
The four officers remain in custody while inquiries continue. Disciplinary proceedings will follow, though the command has not said when those hearings will begin or what penalties the officers could face.
The sources differ slightly on the commissioner's name: Punch gives it as CP Olohundare Jimoh Fatai, while Vanguard, quoting the News Agency of Nigeria, calls him Mr Fatai Tijani.
