Nigerian broadcaster Rufai, Lagos police bicker over seizure of vehicle

Alabi meets DPOs over alleged terror attack

A broadcaster with Arise Television, Oseni Rufai, yesterday said a police officer pointed a gun at him and forcefully took his car away.

This happened after he allegedly took the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane.

Narrating his encounter with the men of the Lagos State Police Command, he said: “A Nigeria Police officer pointed a gun at me and forcefully took my keys and drove my car off because he wanted to enforce a traffic infraction. I offered to pay for the traffic infraction, but the policeman was hell-bent on forcefully collecting my keys and pointing a gun at me.”

On why he took the lane, he said: “I saw three other cars drive the BRT lane and they were not stopped. Why point a gun at me and forcefully collect my key? I am shocked.

“I am not a lawbreaker; I saw cars pass through the supposed BRT lane and they were not stopped. All of a sudden, I was stopped and told I used the bus lane. If I didn’t see other cars I would not go through and I wasn’t conversant with the road. In fact, after I was stopped, three cars also passed and nothing was done about them. I will never deliberately break the law.

Responding, the Lagos State Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “Rufai, let’s not do this. You admitted to me that you passed a BRT lane. It’s against the law. Your claim that Google maps took you it is not tenable. You disobeyed and resisted the officers. We’ll sanction the officer who misused firearms if proven.”
MEANWHILE, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, yesterday, held a security meeting with all Area, Squadron and Tactical Commanders in the state.

The meeting, which was the second time within two weeks, is connected to the rumoured attacks planned for Lagos State.