The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a man identified as Friday Onu, who was captured on video assaulting a female commercial driver, Yetunde Amole, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway. The video, which went viral on social media platforms, sparked widespread outrage, showing Amole with visible injuries to her face and her clothes torn as she tearfully called for justice and the intervention of human rights groups and transport unions.
According to the police, the incident occurred on Monday near the Oriental Hotel, a busy axis of the Lekki corridor. The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack by officers from the Maroko Division. In a statement released on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest, adding that preliminary investigations revealed the suspect had been caught in the act of attempting to steal the victim’s car battery when she confronted him.
Hundeyin stated, “When the victim, Ms. Amole, noticed the suspect tampering with her vehicle’s battery, she challenged him. Rather than fleeing, he reacted violently and began to beat her. The attack, which was captured on video, quickly gained traction online.”
He added that Onu later fell ill while in custody and was moved to the Falomo Police Hospital, where he is currently receiving medical attention under strict police supervision. The Command, however, assured the public that the suspect would face the full weight of the law and be arraigned in court as soon as he is certified fit for trial.
“We salute the bravery of Ms. Amole in standing up to her attacker. Her courage will not go unnoticed. The Lagos State Police Command remains resolute in its responsibility to protect lives and property, particularly ensuring that those vulnerable to unprovoked violence are not left without justice,” Hundeyin added.
Amole, speaking in the now-viral video recorded outside the Maroko Police Station, narrated her ordeal. She explained that she had picked up the suspect, who posed as a passenger heading to the Nigerian Law School. Suspicion arose when she noticed, through her rear-view mirror, that he was fiddling with her car battery. Upon stepping out to confront him, she was met with unexpected aggression.
“I asked what he was doing near my car battery, and he denied everything. Before I knew what was happening, he descended on me, beating me, tearing my clothes. I couldn’t believe it,” she recounted emotionally.
Amole further expressed her frustration with the treatment she received, particularly as a woman trying to make an honest living as a commercial driver in Lagos. She called on the Lagos State Government, human rights activists, and women-focused organisations to ensure justice is served, stating that she regularly pays her dues and operates within the law.
“I buy my daily tickets. I pay all that is required. Look at how I’ve been treated simply because I’m a woman behind the wheel. If nobody will fight for me, I know God will,” she said tearfully in the video.
The incident has drawn attention to the increasing safety concerns faced by women in the transportation sector, with calls growing louder for better protection and stricter enforcement against violence targeting female drivers and workers across the state. As the public awaits the arraignment of the suspect, many continue to rally around Amole, demanding swift justice and lasting policy reforms to protect those earning a living through honest means.
