Nigerian Police Allegedly Assault First-Class Law Graduate for Walking Home at Night

A First-Class Nigerian law graduate was allegedly brutalized, unlawfully detained, and humiliated by police officers in Lagos for walking home at night, just days before his Call to Bar ceremony.

A recent law school graduate who earned First Class honours has shared a disturbing account of police brutality and unlawful detention by officers of the Nigerian Police Force in Oshodi, Lagos State. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of July 7, 2025, just days before he was scheduled to travel to Abuja for his Call to Bar ceremony.

According to the victim, he was walking home with his brother and three female friends after attending an event. Their car was parked at a nearby church where they regularly pay for parking. While walking, they were intercepted by a team of officers from the Makinde Division, led by a man identified as Officer Samson, who arrived in a Hilux patrol vehicle.

Without offering any explanation, the officers allegedly began beating the group.
“We told them we were simply heading home, but they wouldn’t listen. It felt like they were competing over who could beat us more before dragging us into their van,” the victim recounted.

He alleged that one of the women in their group was slapped so hard that she bled from her nose, while another had her phone smashed after being physically assaulted. When they repeatedly asked what their offence was, the officers reportedly replied with only two words: “Late night.”

Despite his pleas and attempts to explain that he was scheduled to travel for his official Call to Bar event, the officers allegedly held them at the police station for about eight hours.

“I kept telling them I had a flight to Abuja, but Officer Samson kept threatening us. I was in serious chest pain and even tried calling the officer from inside the cell before I was brought to the counter,” he said.

The ordeal reportedly continued when the women in their group were forced to clean police offices and labelled “miscreants” before being transferred to Bolade Mobile Court. According to the victim, they were not given a chance to read or sign any documents before their names were recorded and they were held again until 3 p.m., without food.

Despite experiencing physical pain and emotional trauma, the law graduate proceeded with his Call to Bar ceremony on July 10. He described the day as bittersweet.

“That day should’ve been a celebration of my hard work—I made a First Class. But instead, I was nursing chest pain and trauma from what the Nigerian Police did to me just days before,” he wrote.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GISTREEL