A 20-year-old driver, identified as Olusola Olumide, has been arrested after a police sergeant was allegedly knocked down and dragged several metres by a Lexus ES 350 during a stop-and-search operation in Lagos.
The incident occurred on September 26, 2026, along Olugbede Street in Egbeda, Lagos State, at about 2:20 p.m. According to the Lagos State Police Command, officers conducting a stop-and-search operation signalled the vehicle to stop. The driver initially stopped but allegedly drove off as the sergeant approached the vehicle.
The officer, identified as Sergeant Johnson Okediji, was reportedly trapped underneath the vehicle and dragged for several metres. He sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries and was taken to a hospital before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was pronounced dead.
Following the incident, police officers pursued the vehicle and arrested the driver. The Lexus was also recovered and taken to the police station as part of the investigation.
However, Olumide has given a different account of what happened. The 20-year-old phone seller told investigators that the vehicle’s brakes failed and that he accidentally ran over the officer. He said he had recently taken the vehicle to a mechanic to have the brake pads changed and did not deliberately drive into the policeman.
The police have not announced a final conclusion on the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The incident has renewed concerns about the dangers faced by police officers during roadside enforcement operations, as well as the need for motorists to respond appropriately when stopped by law-enforcement personnel.
