Lagos Police Arrest Officer Filmed Using Ethnic Slurs Against Peter Obi
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested the policeman seen in a viral video verbally abusing prominent politician and presidential candidate of the NDC, Peter Obi, and offloading ethnic slurs on Igbo people.
His identity has been revealed as Inspector Osumah Frank. In the video that generated widespread outrage, the policeman could be heard saying, “The Igbos will never be president of Nigeria,” and using labels like “yahoo yahoo and ritualists.”
In a statement released on Friday, September 25, 2026, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed that official disciplinary proceedings have already commenced against the inspector in accordance with the established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The police explicitly distanced themselves from the officer’s remarks, clarifying that his comments were made strictly in a personal capacity.
SP Adebisi emphasized that the inspector’s vitriol does not reflect the official stance, views, or values of either the Lagos State Police Command or the broader NPF, adding that the force will not tolerate any behavior that brings the institution into disrepute or erodes public trust.
The arrest follows widespread outrage across Nigerian social media platforms after a video clip went viral showing Inspector Frank making derogatory, ethnically charged remarks targeted at Peter Obi. In Nigeria’s highly sensitive political landscape, ethnic slurs by public law enforcement officers spark intense concern over institutional neutrality and tribal bias.
Under the Nigeria Police Act and internal regulatory frameworks, police officers are strictly prohibited from engaging in partisan politics, expressing tribal prejudices, or making public statements capable of inciting communal discord.
According to the police, Inspector Frank is set to face sanctions for his behavior. “The Command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against the officer Inspector Osumah Frank in line with established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement read.
Disciplinary actions for such offenses typically range from official reprimands and reduction in rank to outright dismissal and prosecution, depending on the outcome of the orderly room trial.
