The Lagos State Police Command has warned social media content creators against harassing, provoking or obstructing police officers in the discharge of their duties, threatening legal action against anyone found culpable.
The Command said it would no longer tolerate the deliberate use of police personnel as subjects of orchestrated confrontations for online engagement, sensational content or to demoralise officers.
The warning followed a trending video showing a Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol vehicle, marked ‘RRS Attack 07’, driving against the normal direction of traffic.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the officers were responding to distress calls from motorists trapped in the traffic congestion and requesting police intervention to clear the obstruction.
According to the Command, the patrol team, led by an Inspector of Police, was detailed by the Control Room and was the closest available police formation to the location.
It explained that the officers had to navigate through the opposite lane to reach the point where the obstruction originated and restore the free flow of traffic.
The Command maintained that the movement of police vehicles against the normal direction of traffic was permissible under legally recognised emergency and operational circumstances, including responses to distress calls, pursuit of criminal suspects and urgent security operations.
It cited Regulation 158 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, which permits law enforcement officers driving under emergency situations or while engaged in civil protection to disregard prescribed traffic signs, provided they exercise due regard for the safety of other road users.
However, the police expressed concern over what they described as the confrontation, harassment and deliberate obstruction of the officers while carrying out the assignment.
The Command also condemned the actions of individuals who allegedly blocked the road, thereby preventing other motorists from accessing it.
It said such conduct infringed on the rights of other road users and amounted to obstruction of police officers performing their lawful duties under Section 98 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.
While acknowledging citizens’ rights to demand accountability and criticise police conduct, the Command insisted that such actions must be exercised responsibly and within the confines of the law.
It added that it remained open to genuine complaints, constructive criticism and legitimate public scrutiny but would not condone intimidation, harassment, provocation or obstruction of officers.
“The Command will continue to protect the rights of citizens while ensuring that its personnel are accorded the necessary respect and cooperation in the discharge of their lawful responsibilities,” the statement said.
“The Command also cautions social media content creators against deliberately provoking, harassing, or obstructing Police personnel in the discharge of their duties for the purpose of generating sensational online content or demoralising officers. The use of Police personnel as subjects of deliberately orchestrated confrontations for online engagement is unacceptable. Henceforth, the Command will not tolerate such conduct, and anyone found culpable of committing an offence in this regard will be made to face the full weight of the law.”
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Tijani Fatai, reiterated the Command’s commitment to professional, responsive and accountable policing.
He assured residents that the police would continue to protect lives and property, maintain public order and ensure the free movement of persons and vehicles across the state.
