The Lagos State Police Command has summoned officers accused of assaulting and unlawfully detaining a man, Olugbenga Adeleke, following the circulation of a video of his alleged ordeal on social media.
The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, told Saturday Punch on Friday that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ebenezer Police Station, Alagbado/Ojokoro, had been directed to produce the officers involved before the Commissioner of Police on Monday, 14 September 2026.
Adeleke, a resident of Akera Tide community in the Alakuko/Alagbado area of Lagos, had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and human rights organisations, alleging that some policemen attached to the station assaulted, detained and extorted him.
According to Adeleke, he was stopped by some men who were not wearing police uniforms while returning home on 6 September 2026.
He alleged that one of the men struck him in the face before he could establish why he was being stopped. He was then allegedly dragged into a bus and taken to Ebenezer Police Station in Alagbado/Ojokoro.
In a video obtained by Saturday PUNCH, Adeleke said he was assaulted again at the station and detained overnight despite repeatedly asking why he had been arrested.
He alleged that the team leader, whom he identified as “Sheri”, spoke Igbo fluently.
“When we got to the station, I repeatedly asked what I had done and why I was there. Instead of giving me a clear explanation, I was slapped and beaten again inside the station. Nothing was found on me apart from my phone,” Adeleke alleged.
He further claimed that he was kept in a cell overnight before being brought out the following morning and instructed to sit under a tree within the station.
Adeleke alleged that officers later told him someone needed to bring money before he could be released, while he continued to demand an explanation for his arrest.
He also claimed that he sustained a serious eye injury during the alleged assault and called for a thorough investigation by the police authorities.
“Why did I have to suffer this injury without being given a clear explanation of what I had done? I am calling on the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Police Command, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, human rights organisations and other relevant authorities to urgently investigate this matter,” he said.
Adeleke also alleged that other people were brought to the station during his detention and claimed they were similarly extorted.
Responding to the allegations, the Lagos State Police Command said it had commenced an investigation into the incident.
“The Command has seen the circulating video. The Complaint Response Unit has reached out to the complainant, who has been invited but is yet to respond.
“Meanwhile, the Command has commenced investigation, and the DPO has been directed to bring the officers involved before the CP. Both parties are expected at the Command on Monday, 14th September 2026, for further investigation,” Adebisi said.
Some social media users who commented on Adeleke’s video alleged that the police station had previously been associated with claims of brutality and extortion.
However, the allegations made by the users have not been independently verified.
Human rights lawyer Festus Ogun called for the arrest and prosecution of anyone found responsible for the alleged assault.
Ogun described the reported conduct as a violation of the victim’s fundamental rights, citing Section 34 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to the dignity of the human person.
“That is an egregious act which violates the provisions of the Constitution. Section 34 of the Constitution guarantees the right to the dignity of the human person, and that right ought not to be violated in such a reckless manner,” he said.
He added that such alleged conduct was unacceptable in a democratic society and urged the authorities to prosecute anyone found culpable.
The incident comes amid continuing concerns over allegations of police brutality, abuse of office and accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies.
The National Human Rights Commission has previously identified law-enforcement abuses among major categories of human rights complaints, while Amnesty International has also documented allegations of torture, unlawful detention, extortion and extrajudicial killings involving police personnel.
The Lagos Police Command said its investigation into Adeleke’s allegations would continue, with the parties expected to appear before the command for further inquiry on Monday.
