A viral video showing officers of the Nigeria Police Force allegedly attempting to extort money from a traveller along the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with many Nigerians calling for an investigation and disciplinary action against the officers involved.
The 2-minute, 34-second clip, which began circulating on Friday, captures a tense encounter between a traveller and officers at a police checkpoint. During the exchange, one of the officers is heard asking the motorist for money.
The traveller, who identified himself as a resident of Akure, politely declined the request, explaining that he had nothing to give at the time.
“I don’t have anything here. If I did, I would have given you,” the traveller said in the video.
His response appeared to anger some of the officers, leading to a heated argument at the checkpoint. As the exchange escalated, one of the officers allegedly made a controversial remark that has since drawn widespread condemnation.
“I would have slapped you and detained you if you were Igbo,” the officer was heard saying in the viral footage.
The comment has triggered criticism from Nigerians, with many describing it as both unprofessional and ethnically offensive. Social media users have urged the Nigeria Police Force to identify the officers involved, investigate the incident, and take appropriate disciplinary action.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement regarding the viral video or confirmed whether an internal investigation had been launched.
The incident has renewed public concerns over alleged police misconduct, extortion at checkpoints, and the need for stronger accountability within the country’s law enforcement agencies.
