Police begin disciplinary action against inspector over anti-Peter Obi viral video

The Lagos State Police Command has identified an inspector featured in a viral video and commenced disciplinary action over remarks he made while travelling in a public transport vehicle.

The officer, Osumah Frank, was identified in a statement posted by the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, on Friday.

Recently, in the video circulating on social media, the officer, who was seated in the front seat of a moving vehicle, spoke about Peter Obi’s 2027 presidential ambition and said an Igbo person could not become president of Nigeria.

He also said Mr Obi would not win the 2027 presidential election and made other comments about the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate and the Igbo ethnic group.

The Lagos State Command, however, did not give details of the remarks in its statement.

The command stated that Mr Frank’s remarks were made in his personal capacity and did not represent the position of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force.

“The command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against the officer in line with established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force; it also wishes to make it clear that the statements made by the officer were made in his personal capacity and do not represent the position, views or official disposition of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement noted.

It stressed that the inspector would face disciplinary proceedings in accordance with police regulations.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Tijani Fatai, stated that officers were expected to maintain professionalism and treat members of the public with respect.

Mr Fatai said wearing the police uniform carried a responsibility to uphold the dignity and integrity of the force.

Previous cases

The police have taken similar action in other cases involving videos of alleged misconduct by officers.

In April, the Police Complaint Response Unit said a Lagos police officer was identified, queried and detained after a video allegedly showed him collecting N10,000 from a motorist.

In July, the Nigeria Police Force ordered an investigation after a video showed officers on the Lagos-Benin Expressway allegedly making derogatory remarks. The Force explained that the officers were identified and disciplinary proceedings initiated.

The Force has also said members of the public are not prohibited from recording police officers while they perform their duties in public.

Also, the Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu was not opposed to such recordings but cautioned against their misuse.