The Lagos State Police Command has disbanded the Imota Tactical Team and placed four of its operatives in detention after viral video footage captured officers assaulting and harassing a civilian motorist in the Ikorodu axis of the state.
The swift operational dissolution followed public outrage over video recordings showing four armed operatives accosting a young driver along the Odogunyan corridor in Ikorodu. The officers confronted the civilian under the suspicion that his eyeglasses concealed a recording device, an encounter that rapidly deteriorated into physical intimidation and verbal abuse.
Intervening on Friday night following an internal inquiry, the Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, CP Tijani Fatai, ordered the immediate recall, arrest, and detention of all four operatives at the State Command Headquarters in Ikeja. Beyond sanctioning the individuals involved, the commissioner ordered the immediate disbandment of the entire Imota Tactical unit to deter further misconduct.
Command Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed that an Orderly Room Trial has been formally initiated against the detained personnel. The officers face internal disciplinary charges including assault, extortion, and incivility to members of the public, which could result in severe administrative sanctions ranging from reduction in rank to official dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force.
The command’s decisive intervention aligns with ongoing reforms ordered by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, restricting the proliferation of operational squads to a ceiling of five tactical units per state command and three per local area command. Reaffirming the command’s zero-tolerance stance on human rights violations, CP Fatai reiterated that the police uniform provides no legal shield for brutality or harassment of law-abiding citizens.
