The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a police inspector identified as Obic Modestus, following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media that captured him physically assaulting an Uber driver in broad daylight. The footage, which has drawn widespread condemnation from Nigerians across various platforms, showed the officer repeatedly slapping the driver while aggressively leaning into the vehicle through the front passenger side.
In the viral clip, Inspector Modestus can be seen and heard shouting, “Are you mad?” as he delivered multiple slaps to the visibly distressed driver before dragging him out of the car in a rough manner. The incident did not stop there. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the officer forcefully led the driver to a nearby police patrol van, where other officers reportedly joined in harassing the man, further escalating the situation.
Reacting swiftly to the incident, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that Inspector Modestus has been identified and summoned by the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU). Taking to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, SP Hundeyin wrote: “The Police Officer, Inspector Obic Modestus, has been summoned by the Complaint Response Unit @LagosPoliceNG. He will be handed over to the Provost Department for appropriate disciplinary measures.”
He further emphasized the position of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Olohundare Jimoh, who has consistently maintained a zero-tolerance policy on any form of unprofessional or brutal conduct by officers under his command. “The Lagos State Police Command, under CP Olohundare Jimoh, will not condone any form of incivility to members of the public,” Hundeyin reiterated.
The incident has once again reignited national conversations around police accountability and the urgent need for comprehensive reforms within the Nigeria Police Force. Many Nigerians, visibly outraged by the video, took to social media to demand not only swift disciplinary action against the erring officer but also systemic changes that would prevent such abuse of power from recurring.
Civil society groups and rights advocates have called for the Lagos State Command to be transparent in its handling of the matter, insisting that justice must not only be done but seen to be done. This latest development adds to a string of incidents that have painted the Force in a bad light, especially in urban centers like Lagos where tension between security operatives and civilians continues to surface in various forms.
As at the time of filing this report, the disciplinary process against Inspector Modestus is said to be underway, with further updates expected from the police authorities. The Lagos Command, under increasing public scrutiny, now faces the task of restoring trust and proving its commitment to upholding human rights and lawful conduct in its dealings with citizens.
