Segun Atanda/
The Oyo State Police Command has ordered a formal investigation into allegations of assault, unlawful seizure of phones, and alleged misconduct by officers of the Apata Police Station following a viral complaint involving staff of Onelife Initiative for Human Development, a non-governmental organisation.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, @OyoPoliceNG, the Command confirmed that the Commissioner of Police had directed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) linked to the incident be summoned to explain her conduct, while an internal probe has been instituted into the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered an investigation into this allegation, and the said DPO has been directed to come forward to explain her conduct. The Oyo State Police Command remains committed to protecting the rights of individuals within the provisions of the law,” the Command stated.
The reaction follows a disturbing account of alleged police brutality involving staff members of the NGO, who claimed they were violently assaulted, had their phones smashed, and were forced to delete recorded evidence during an encounter with officers attached to the Apata Police Station near VCJ in Oyo State.
According to one of the affected staff members, identified as Moyin Ajefo, the incident occurred while she and her colleagues were enroute to a scheduled community programme in a Bolt ride when they were stopped during what was described as a routine traffic check.
Ajefo said the situation escalated after officers demanded the driver’s documents and insisted on taking him and the passengers to the station over alleged incomplete paperwork.
“The Bolt driver had just gone past VCJ when the police stopped him and said that one of us should come down from the front seat and go to the back so that they could take us and the vehicle to the station,” she said.
She added that attempts to explain their status as passengers on a booked ride were ignored, as officers allegedly insisted they all proceed to the station despite having no direct involvement in the driver’s documentation.
The situation reportedly worsened when one of the NGO staff began recording audio of the encounter.
According to Ajefo, officers immediately reacted by forcefully seizing phones and turning aggressive.
“One of us then began to record the audio, and the police dragged her phone. They also dragged me and broke my nails. In the end, they seized two of our phones for recording audio and videos,” she alleged.
The complainant further stated that the officers, at some point, forcibly compelled them to delete the recordings before returning the devices, an action that has raised serious concerns over abuse of power and obstruction of evidence.
Divisional Police Officer of the station, Yemisi Opalola, reportedly defended the conduct of her officers when contacted by an online news platform, FIJ, questioning the legality of recording police officers while on duty.
“Why should they be recording police when they are doing the right thing?” she was quoted as saying. “Why must they record?”
Despite reminders that citizens are not prohibited from recording law enforcement officers in public spaces, the DPO reportedly dismissed the argument before ending the call.
The incident has since sparked public outrage and renewed debate over police conduct, particularly regarding the treatment of civilians during stop-and-search operations and the handling of citizen-recorded evidence.
The Oyo State Police Command has now confirmed that the matter is under investigation, with the DPO expected to respond to allegations of misconduct as internal disciplinary processes commence.
The Command added that it remains committed to upholding the rights of citizens within the framework of the law, as scrutiny over the incident continues to mount.
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