Police officer who threatened to detain motorist he was trying to extort if he was Igbo, has been identified and detained

A Nigerian police officer has been detained after a video surfaced online showing him allegedly making an ethnic remark during a routine vehicle document inspection.

The video, which circulated widely on social media, showed the officer inspecting a motorist’s vehicle documents and driver’s licence before allegedly withholding the licence after returning the other documents.

When the motorist questioned why his licence had not been returned, the officer allegedly made a gesture suggesting he wanted money. He then reportedly told the driver, “If you were Igbo or someone else, I would have detained you.”

The motorist maintained that all his documents were complete and valid. The officer later claimed that the goods being transported lacked a waybill, despite the driver insisting that customs duties had already been paid on the items after they were inspected.

The incident sparked widespread criticism online, with many condemning both the alleged attempt at extortion and the officer’s ethnic remark. Responding to the incident, the Nigeria Police Force confirmed that the officer had been identified and detained pending disciplinary action.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, wrote on X, “Good Morning Esteemed, The Ondo State Police Command @OndoPoliceNg has identified the team and necessary action is ongoing. We say #notoimpunity #citizensaretheboss.” The police have not released further details on the disciplinary measures or the outcome of the ongoing investigation.