Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, is facing widespread condemnation after posting a video that shows environmental officers physically assaulting suspected offenders.
The video, uploaded to his X (formerly Twitter) account, has sparked outrage, with critics accusing the officers of violating the United Nations Treaty Against Torture, to which Nigeria is a signatory, and the country’s own Anti-Torture Act of 2017.
In the video, personnel from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), the Lagos Neighborhood Watch, Environmental Health Officers, and the Lagos State Environmental Taskforce can be seen beating suspected offenders during a raid in Obalende on Wednesday.
While Wahab’s intention may have been to highlight the government’s efforts to curb environmental violations, the officers’ treatment of those arrested has drawn sharp criticism.
The caption accompanying the video read: “Several miscreants were arrested while the agency successfully secured the conviction of 12 individuals involved in commercial sex work. They were sentenced to eight months in prison for charges related to prostitution and breach of peace.”
However, the focus has shifted to the conduct of the officers during the arrests, which has ignited debates on law enforcement abuse.
One prominent critic, Lagos-based lawyer Ridwan Oke, pointed out specific instances of brutality in the video.
“Between 00:45 and 01:00 in the video, one of your officers was seen slapping and beating up suspects. One of the suspects, particularly the second victim, was not resisting arrest, yet the officer used unnecessary force,” Oke noted in his response on X.
He added that the incident was “contrary to our laws prohibiting torture, intimidation, and inhumane treatment.”
Oke urged the commissioner to investigate the officers’ actions and improve training protocols to prevent future abuses. “Such an officer will do worse and abuse their powers if given the opportunity,” he warned.
The video has also reignited memories of Nigeria’s #EndSARS movement, where nationwide protests in October 2020 called for an end to police brutality.
Similar incidents of law enforcement abuse sparked the protests, which led to the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Under both international and local law, Nigeria is bound to uphold human rights standards. The country has ratified several key treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture (CAT).
However, despite these commitments, cases of brutality persist, and the latest incident has raised questions about the Lagos State government’s commitment to ending such practices.
The Lagos State government is yet to comment on the growing criticism of the video, and the fate of the officers involved remains unclear.