A 21-year-old driver, Olumide Olushola, has been arrested after a Lagos police sergeant was knocked down and dragged underneath a vehicle during a stop-and-search operation in Egbeda.
The deceased officer, identified as Sergeant Johnson Okediji, was reportedly carrying out stop-and-search duties with other officers along Olugbede Street on Saturday, September 26, 2026, when they flagged down a Lexus ES 350 with registration number FKJ 223 KX.
According to Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, Olushola initially stopped the vehicle but allegedly accelerated as Okediji approached the driver’s side.
The commissioner said the vehicle knocked the officer down and dragged him underneath it for several metres despite attempts by police officers and passers-by to make the driver stop.
Olushola was eventually pursued and arrested, while the Lexus was recovered by the police.
Okediji sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries in the incident. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His remains were subsequently deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy, according to the police.
However, Olushola has denied deliberately hitting the officer. During his parade at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja, he claimed that the vehicle’s brakes failed while he was trying to stop.
The suspect said he had taken the Lexus to a mechanic a day before the incident after noticing problems with its braking system. He claimed the mechanic replaced the brake pads but that he noticed the brakes were still slipping after he bought fuel on the day of the incident.
Olushola said he intended to return the vehicle to the mechanic later that day but lost control when he attempted to stop after seeing the police officers.
He also said the vehicle belonged to his mother, who had acquired it the previous month, and that he had been helping her drive it. He expressed regret over the death of the officer.
The police have not established the suspect’s claim of brake failure as the cause of the incident. The circumstances surrounding Okediji’s death remain under investigation.
Tijani described the incident as unfortunate and urged motorists to comply with lawful instructions from police officers during stop-and-search operations.
He also called on members of the public who experience police misconduct to report it through appropriate channels rather than obstructing officers carrying out their duties.
The commissioner stressed the importance of cooperation between the police and the public in maintaining security, while the command continues its investigation into the circumstances that led to the sergeant’s death.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
