Lagos police discipline inspector over viral political remarks

The Lagos State Police Command has identified an inspector shown in a viral video making political and ethnic remarks and has begun disciplinary proceedings against him. The officer, Osumah Frank, was identified in a statement issued on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi. The video showed him seated in the front of a moving public transport vehicle while discussing Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition.

According to the source material, Frank said an Igbo person could not become president of Nigeria and predicted that Obi would not win the election. He also made comments about the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate and the Igbo ethnic group. The Lagos command did not detail all of the remarks but said they were made in Frank’s personal capacity.

It stressed that they did not represent the position or official disposition of either the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force. The command said Frank would face disciplinary action under established police regulations. Lagos Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai said officers were expected to act professionally and treat members of the public with respect.

Fatai added that wearing the police uniform carried a responsibility to protect the dignity and integrity of the force. The statement did not say what specific sanction Frank might face or when the proceedings would conclude. The command’s action follows other cases involving videos of alleged police misconduct.

In April, the Police Complaint Response Unit said a Lagos officer had been identified, questioned and detained after a video allegedly showed him collecting N10,000 from a motorist. In July, the Nigeria Police Force ordered an investigation into officers accused of making derogatory remarks on the Lagos-Benin Expressway. Police have said members of the public may record officers performing duties in public, while cautioning against misuse of such recordings.