Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade, has ordered disciplinary action against four policemen caught on camera brutally beating a civilian in Ikeja, Lagos.

Fayoade ordered an orderly room trial for the officers involved in the act. 

In the video, four officers are seen punching and hitting the victim with sticks.

The decision on the trial was communicated in a statement signed by the police public relations officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin on Wednesday.

The statement noted that the police commissioner “ordered the immediate commencement of orderly room trial of the entire team of the  police officers seen in a viral video assaulting a suspect that was resisting arrest.”

This follows receipt of numerous complaints by the Lagos police command on the incident.

It said, “Alausa Division of the Lagos State Police Command, having received numerous complaints on the flagrant abuse of hard drugs on Makinde Odewale Street, Oregun, mobilized some officers on July 2, 2024 to arrest the drug users and dealers.

“They, however, met stiff resistance leading to serious injury to one Inspector of police, who was stabbed in the head with a broken bottle, and assault on the Olu of Alausa and CDA Chairman. The injured Inspector has since been hospitalized.”

The police spokesperson expressed concern that while trying to arrest the suspects involved in attack on the police officers, there was an unprofessional conduct by officials.

He said, “Nonetheless, a reinforcement team succeeded in arresting some suspects with substances suspected to be illicit drugs. Regrettably, the reinforcement team, in their bid to ensure the arrest of the mastermind of the attack on the police officer, resorted to unprofessional, unethical and uncouth methods, which were captured on video.

“CP Fayoade totally condemns the actions of the police officers as those actions are not in tandem with the values and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police. He equally condemns the actions of the youths in attacking police officers, warning that any person found culpable in this regard would definitely be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

The Lagos State Police Command stated that “the Command would not relent in delivering on its mandates of maintenance of law and order, prevention and detection of crime, apprehension and prosecution of criminals, amongst others.”