Lagos police refute viral claim, arrest 13 over assault on taskforce inspector
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The Lagos State Police Command has debunked a viral social media claim alleging that a police inspector seen being beaten in a trending video was caught stealing, clarifying that the officer was attacked while performing official duties.
In a statement on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebesi, said the online captions accompanying the video were “false and misleading,” noting that the incident had been widely misrepresented.
According to the Command, the officer is an inspector attached to the Lagos State Taskforce who was enforcing the state’s ban on illegal parking along Brown Street, Oshodi, when the altercation occurred. The inspector had stopped a motorist attempting to park unlawfully, but the confrontation escalated when the motorist became violent.
During the scuffle, the inspector accidentally discharged shots into the road, and debris from the impact injured some passersby. The commotion quickly drew a mob, which descended on the officer and inflicted serious injuries.
The statement added that although the inspector is facing disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct, the police have arrested 13 suspects seen in the viral footage attacking him. The suspects in custody are:
Dele Oriade, 39; Adekunle Olalere, 40; Mudashiru Olamilekan, 28; Anayo Achusie, 34; Joshua Enwonyin, 24; Okoro Okechukwu, 26; Rilwan Lateef, 32; Damilare Odebode, 22; Haruna Aleshi, 25; Sodiq Omoniyi, 26; Chukwudi Patience, 25; Godstime Okafor, 26; and Chinedu Divine, 29. They will be prosecuted upon conclusion of investigations.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police condemned the inspector’s conduct but issued a stern warning against assaults on law enforcement officers performing legitimate duties, stressing that such attacks constitute criminal offences.
The Command urged residents to remain calm, avoid spreading misinformation, and continue cooperating with security agencies to maintain peace and order across the state.
