The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has launched a fierce defence of the Lagos State Task Force, categorically dismissing a viral video that allegedly shows its operatives extorting a motorist.
In a high-stakes press briefing on Monday, the CP labelled the footage “Misleading,” “malicious,” and a gross misrepresentation of the facts.
The video, which spread rapidly across social media platforms, painted a damning picture of the agency. It accused officials of unlawfully arresting a driver and fabricating a traffic violation, allegedly by repositioning his vehicle on a one-way street, specifically to extort money from him.
The driver in the clip vehemently denied driving the route for which he was being apprehended.
However, speaking at the command headquarters in Ikeja, CP Jimoh offered a starkly different narrative of the incident, which he said occurred on the morning of March 13, 2026, in the Ikorodu area.
“The Lagos State Task Force has been performing well to ensure order on our roads and in our environment,” Jimoh asserted. “I have directed a full-scale investigation into the allegation of money collection, and it was found to be false. The claim is far from the truth and malicious in all ramifications.”
According to the Commissioner, the incident began as a routine early-morning operation targeting motorists driving against traffic, a major infraction in the bustling metropolis. He stated that officers intercepted a driver, later identified as Lateef Adeyemo, in the act of attempting an illegal turn.
The situation, Jimoh explained, escalated quickly from a traffic stop to a public disturbance. “In an attempt to evade arrest, the driver reversed his vehicle and collided with an oncoming commercial minibus, damaging the vehicle and endangering the lives of passengers and officers on duty,” the CP detailed.
He further alleged that Adeyemo resisted arrest and actively incited bystanders to attack the officers, leading to stones and objects being thrown at the enforcement team. It was in this chaotic context, Jimoh argued, that the now-viral video was recorded.
“The viral video was recorded by the suspect himself while being taken away and does not capture the full circumstances of the offence,” the commissioner said, suggesting the clip was a one-sided account designed to garner public sympathy and malign the Task Force.
CP Jimoh confirmed that the suspect was subsequently arraigned before a mobile court in Oshodi on four counts: conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, driving against traffic, obstruction of public officers, and malicious damage to property. While the court initially granted bail, the suspect was later remanded after failing to meet the stipulated conditions.
“Our responsibility is to charge suspects in court,” Jimoh clarified, pushing back against any implication that the police were responsible for the driver’s continued detention. “Once a matter reaches court, it is the court that decides whether to grant bail or remand the suspect.”
The police chief concluded by urging motorists to adhere to traffic laws and cooperate with officers, framing the incident as a cautionary tale about the consequences of evasion and the dangers of sharing incomplete information.
