A video circulating widely on social media has sparked outrage after a police officer allegedly made a remark suggesting that he would have detained a motorist if he had been of Igbo ethnicity.
The viral footage, reportedly recorded during a stop-and-search operation on an as-yet unidentified expressway in Nigeria’s South-West, shows a confrontation between the officer and a man said to be a United Kingdom returnee.
According to the video, the officer examined the driver’s vehicle documents before allegedly withholding his driver’s licence. The officer was then heard telling the motorist, “Go and do better thing make you de go,” a statement the driver interpreted as a demand for a bribe before he could be allowed to leave.
When the motorist questioned why his driver’s licence was being withheld and demanded its return, the officer allegedly responded:
“…If it’s another person or Igbo or another… I’ll go and keep him there,” while pointing into the distance, suggesting where the person would have been detained.
The remark has triggered widespread criticism online, with many Nigerians accusing the officer of ethnic profiling and unprofessional conduct.
Watch the video below:
Several social media users have called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the incident, identify the officer involved and take appropriate disciplinary action if the allegations are established.
The incident has also reignited concerns over alleged extortion, abuse of power and discriminatory conduct by some law enforcement officers during routine stop-and-search operations.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement on the authenticity of the video or the officer’s comments.
