A police officer in Lagos State has come under heavy criticism after a viral video captured him assaulting a commercial bus conductor, sparking outrage among passengers and social media users.
The footage, recorded by a female commuter, shows the visibly agitated officer pinning the exhausted conductor to the side of a commercial vehicle while several passengers begged him to stop.
In the clip, voices can be heard shouting, “Leave him! Do you want to kill him? He cannot run away!” One distressed woman warned the officer that the conductor appeared to be suffocating, urging bystanders to fetch water to prevent him from collapsing.
Another passenger cautioned the officer: “If this guy slumps in your hands, it won’t be the way you think. An elderly man is standing here begging you. If he dies, can you take him home?”
The conductor, struggling to breathe and speak, repeatedly cried out, “Help me, I don’t know what I did.”
Officer claims conductor assaulted him first
Responding to the accusations, the police officer insisted he was not acting unlawfully.
He claimed the conductor had attacked him moments after a LASTMA official stopped the vehicle for a traffic-related issue.
“As a police officer, I came down and begged the LASTMA officer to allow him go,” he said.
“I told the conductor to close his door while carrying passengers. Before I knew it, this guy started beating me on my uniform. Even the driver told him not to beat a man in uniform.”
He also accused the woman recording the scene of “supporting” the conductor, but later admitted she had every right to film the incident.
“She has every right as a Nigerian to do her video,” he said. “If I were doing something bad, I would collect the phone, but I’m not doing anything wrong.”
Public outrage over police brutality
The incident has reignited public concerns over frequent reports of police harassment and excessive force in Lagos.
Residents have repeatedly called on the state police command to address the conduct of officers alleged to be engaging in intimidation and abuse of power.
Watch the video below…
Lagos Policeman Caught Assaulting Bus Conductor As Passengers Kick, Condemn Lawlessness pic.twitter.com/gbQsIjYi4N
— Dami’ Adenuga (@DAMIADENUGA) November 29, 2025
