Ondo State Police arrested four officers over a viral ethnic bias video recorded during a stop-and-search on the Lagos-Benin Expressway, Friday.
The Ondo State Police Command arrested four police officers captured in a viral video making unprofessional and ethnically insensitive remarks to a motorist during a stop-and-search operation along the Lagos–Benin Expressway, placing all four under active investigation.
Commissioner of Police Felix Ohagwu directed the arrests after the video circulated widely across X and other social media platforms on Friday, drawing widespread condemnation from Nigerians calling for disciplinary action against the officers involved.
The clip showed a heated confrontation between the officers and a motorist described as a United Kingdom returnee, who challenged their attempt to stop and search him during the roadside operation.
During the exchange, the driver accused the officers of intimidation, ethnic profiling, and attempted extortion. One officer made remarks suggesting the motorist would have been detained if he belonged to the Igbo tribe.
Addressing journalists in Akure on Friday, Police Public Relations Officer DSP Abayomi Jimoh confirmed the officers had been identified and arrested on the direct directive of CP Ohagwu, naming each one by rank and service number.
“The Command wishes to inform the general public that the officers captured in the video have been arrested and identified,” Jimoh stated, reading out the names of all four officers at the briefing.
The four officers are ASP Elomore Sodayo, AP/No. 207454; Inspector Adefila Adewale, AP/No. 332012; Inspector Olorunfemi Opeyemi, AP/No. 332449; and Inspector Odusola Peter, AP/No. 332369, all serving under the Ondo State Command.
Jimoh confirmed that Ohagwu had ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the level of culpability of each officer individually.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the level of culpability of each officer involved,” Jimoh disclosed to reporters.
On the standard expected of all officers, Jimoh stated that the Nigeria Police Force does not condone misconduct, incivility, or any actions capable of undermining public confidence, promoting ethnic division, or bringing the force into disrepute.
“The Nigeria Police Force is a disciplined and professional institution,” he told journalists. “Officers are expected at all times to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, respect for human dignity, and in strict compliance with the Code of Conduct and standard operating procedures.”
Jimoh assured the public that the investigation would proceed on the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability and that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action under established procedures.
“Any officer found to have acted contrary to the ethics and standards of the Nigeria Police Force will be subjected to appropriate disciplinary measures in accordance with the law and established disciplinary procedures,” he said at the Akure briefing, adding that the command would not shield any personnel found culpable regardless of rank or years of service.
Beyond the four officers now in custody, Jimoh urged residents across Ondo State to report all cases of police misconduct through established complaint channels available to members of the public, stressing that public cooperation remained essential to sustaining accountability within the force. He noted that complaints could be lodged directly at police stations or through designated hotlines set up to ensure prompt response and follow-up on such reports.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to professional, intelligence-driven, and community-oriented policing as the basis for all operations carried out by personnel under CP Ohagwu’s command in the state, noting that this approach was central to rebuilding public trust and confidence in the police across Ondo State’s communities.
Four Ondo State police officers, ASP Elomore Sodayo, Inspector Adefila Adewale, Inspector Olorunfemi Opeyemi, and Inspector Odusola Peter, remained in custody Saturday as the command’s investigation into the ethnic bias video continued.
