The command has summoned officers attached to Area E Command after a viral video showed a man alleging that policemen assaulted him during a stop in Festac
The Lagos State Police Command has launched a probe into a viral video showing the alleged assault of a gold seller by police officers in the Festac area of Lagos, with personnel attached to Area E Command summoned for investigation.
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The Lagos police assault probe followed videos shared online by the alleged victim, who claimed that he was stopped, searched and physically assaulted by the officers while delivering a gold necklace to a customer on Friday.
In the footage, the man alleged that the officers searched him but found no incriminating item in his possession before questioning him about a digital scale he said he used to weigh gold.
According to his account, the officers accused him of using the scale to weigh cannabis and directed him to accompany them to a police station.
The man said he declined to follow them because he had committed no offence.
He also claimed that he became suspicious because the officers were not properly dressed in police uniforms and the vehicle they were using had no registration number.
He further alleged that the officers dragged him in an attempt to force him into the vehicle, struck him on the head with a gun and physically assaulted him.
The video showed a brief confrontation near a red minibus before cutting to images of the man displaying an injury near his eye and the gold necklace he said he was delivering when the incident occurred.
A second video subsequently circulated online, in which the man alleged that one of the officers instructed colleagues to open fire before they fled the scene.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and the identities of the officers involved have not been publicly disclosed.
However, the Lagos State Police Command said on Saturday that it had identified the officers seen in the footage and ordered them to appear at the command headquarters for questioning.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the command said, “The Lagos State Police Command has seen the video and has commenced an investigation into the incident.”
“The officers involved have been identified as personnel attached to Area E Command.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, has directed the Area Commander to immediately produce the officers at the Command Headquarters for further investigation and appropriate action.”
The command also appealed to the man featured in the videos to assist investigators by formally contacting its Complaint Response Unit.
“The individual featured in the video is kindly urged to contact the Command’s Complaint Response Unit on 09111111150 or 09111111151 to assist with the ongoing investigation,” the statement added.
The development comes amid continuing public scrutiny of allegations of police misconduct and the treatment of civilians during stop-and-search operations.
The command’s decision to investigate the incident signals an attempt to establish what occurred and determine whether any officers breached police procedures or the law.
For now, the circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain subject to investigation, including the allegations of physical assault, the reported demand that the man accompany the officers to the station and the claim that one of the officers ordered colleagues to shoot.
The police have yet to disclose the outcome of their investigation or announce whether disciplinary measures have been taken against any of the officers involved.
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The victim’s cooperation with investigators, alongside evidence from the videos and any available eyewitness accounts, is expected to help authorities establish a clearer account of the incident and determine the appropriate action.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
