The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old driver who allegedly knocked down and dragged a police officer for several metres during a traffic stop, resulting in the officer’s death.
The State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters.
Tijani said the incident occurred on August 26 while police officers were conducting a stop-and-search operation.
According to him, the driver initially stopped after being flagged down by the officers but suddenly drove away, knocking down one of the policemen.
“The officer was knocked down and dragged underneath the vehicle for several metres,” he said.
The CP said other officers pursued the vehicle and eventually arrested the driver.
He said the injured officer sustained multiple fractures and other serious injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital before being referred to another medical facility.
Tijani said the officer, a police sergeant, later died from his injuries while receiving treatment.
He said the deceased officer’s remains had been deposited at a mortuary, while the vehicle involved had been recovered and taken to the police station for investigation.
The commissioner described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that police officers were deployed on the roads to protect lives and property and prevent crime.
He said stop-and-search operations remained an important aspect of conventional policing and complemented intelligence-led operations aimed at preventing and detecting crime.
READ ALSO: Gas Explosion Rocks Kubwa Junction, Nine Shops Affected
Tijani expressed concern over the hostility sometimes faced by police officers while performing their duties, noting that police visibility remained important to public safety.
He urged members of the public to cooperate with officers deployed on the roads and appealed to motorists to comply with lawful instructions during stop-and-search operations rather than attempting to evade them.
The CP, however, advised members of the public who witnessed police misconduct to report such officers through appropriate channels instead of obstructing officers carrying out their duties.
Tijani called for mutual respect and cooperation between the police and the public, stressing that effective crime prevention required community supp
