The disturbing incident reported by an X user, Lois Freeman, once again brings to the forefront the persistent issue of police brutality in Nigeria.
Development Diaries reports that, according to Lois, the driver of her vehicle, along with several others, had to divert due to a roadblock near Maraba, Abuja, when police officers stopped their vehicle and began assaulting the driver.
I just witnessed something terrifying this morning in Abuja and I’m still shaken. I boarded a Valgee @valgeeets vehicle heading to Jos. We were moving fine until we got close to Maraba and met a blocked road.
— Lois Freeman (@loiseyfreeman) May 19, 2025
Instead of allowing the driver to park safely and explain the situation, the officers began assaulting him, physically dragging him from the car, as shown in the video.
Passengers, including a pregnant woman and another female commuter in the front seat, were also reportedly harassed, with one officer even attempting to slap a passenger.
@PoliceNG @PLACNG @NhrcNigeria @thatverydarkman @FctPolice @NGRSenate @instablog9ja @yabaleftonline @PulseNigeria247 @freezle_ @its_yugee @nenkinan_deshi @4wardwego pic.twitter.com/zKrJkKY69r
— Lois Freeman (@loiseyfreeman) May 19, 2025
This ordeal is not an isolated event but yet another example of persistent police violation of citizens’ rights, despite the promises made following the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
The government, under intense local and international pressure, promised to reform the police force after the #EndPoliceBrutality protests, which were a response to years of unchecked violence and intimidation by the police, particularly the now-defunct SARS unit.
However, nearly five years later, such incidents continue to occur, indicating that the changes promised remain largely superficial.
Sections of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 expressly prohibit the kind of behaviour exhibited by the policemen in that video.
Section 37 forbids torture and inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals, while section 66 mandates police officers to uphold human rights and act professionally at all times.
What happened at that checkpoint was a gross violation of these legal provisions. The officers involved showed no concern for lawful conduct or the dignity of the people they swore to protect, a situation that mirrors countless other unreported or ignored abuses across the country.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, must urgently address this.
There is a growing sense that the police reforms announced in the wake of #EndSARS were more performative than substantive. This incident offers an opportunity for the IGP to prove otherwise.
Development Diaries calls on the IGP to order a transparent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved, ensure that disciplinary action is taken, and publicly recommit to enforcing the provisions of the Police Act.
