A Nigerian man, Somto Okonkwo, has accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force of assault, unlawful detention and reckless conduct after an encounter in Abia State that he says ended with his brand-new vehicle wrecked and his life endangered.
Okonkwo made the allegations in a statement posted Wednesday on X, sharing images and videos of individuals he identified as the officers involved. He claimed the incident occurred around 3:00 p.m. and involved the forceful seizure of his phone, physical assault and his removal from Aba to Umuahia against his will.
“These are the faces of some of the officers who completely destroyed my brand-new car with my family inside,” Okonkwo wrote.
He questioned the officers’ identity and conduct, pointing to their attire and alleged failure to properly identify themselves. “Look at how they’re dressed. How can people dressed like this claim to be police officers, assault civilians, seize phones and force someone into their car?” he said.
Okonkwo stressed that police officers are required to be clearly identifiable and to follow due process, warning that deviations from these standards expose civilians to grave danger. “This kind of dressing puts citizens at serious risk. Anyone could be kidnapped or harmed under the excuse of ‘police work,’” he said.
According to Okonkwo, the situation escalated during transit when an officer driving his vehicle allegedly engaged in reckless driving, dangerously overtaking a police bus. He said the manoeuvre caused the car to lose control, spin and crash into nearby bushland.
“The reckless action led to a serious accident,” he wrote, describing the incident as a “clear abuse of power” and a violation of his fundamental rights.
Okonkwo called on the Abia State Government to investigate the incident, hold the officers accountable, and take responsibility for the damage to his vehicle. “No citizen should be treated this way. Abuse of power must stop,” he said, urging the public to amplify his account.
In response, the Nigeria Police Force’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU) acknowledged the allegations via its official X account and requested further details from Okonkwo.
“The experience is unacceptable and should not have happened to you or any other Nigerian under any guise,” the CRU said, asking him to provide his contact information through direct message to enable further action.
The incident adds to growing public scrutiny of police conduct in Nigeria, where allegations of misconduct and excessive force continue to spark outrage and calls for accountability.
