Nigeria Police Face Backlash Over Viral Video of Officers Collecting Cash from Chinese Man
A viral video showing several Nigerian police officers allegedly receiving N5,000 each from a Chinese man and his family has sparked a wave of public outrage and renewed concerns over corruption, ethics, and accountability within the Nigeria Police Force.
In the footage, uniformed officers are seen lining up as the foreign national hands out cash gifts. The scene, widely circulated online, has been condemned by Nigerians across social media platforms, with critics describing it as disgraceful and damaging to the image of the police.
When contacted by Sagamu Update, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he was unaware of the incident or the viral video. Similarly, the Lagos State Police Command distanced itself from the footage. Its spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the event did not take place in Lagos, countering online claims suggesting otherwise.
Prominent voices have weighed in on the controversy. Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), slammed the video in a Facebook post, calling it “shameful” and demanding the removal of the current Inspector General of Police.
“This is why I keep saying illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun must leave the police force. It is the shame of the nation,” Sowore wrote.
Popular social commentator and human rights activist, Martins Victor Otse, widely known as VeryDarkBlackMan, also condemned the incident, labelling it as “disgraceful, disrespectful, and degrading.” He urged police authorities to take immediate and transparent action to address the matter.
The incident has intensified calls for disciplinary measures against those involved and systemic reformsto rebuild public trust in the Nigeria Police Force. As outrage continues to mount, many Nigerians are demanding concrete steps to address long-standing issues of corruption and misconduct within the force.
