A recent video has surfaced, capturing Nigerian Police officers and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a physical altercation in Osun State.
According to sources, the incident took place this week at Elizabeth Estate in Abere, Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State. Witnesses report that police officers had attempted to make an arrest at the estate on Tuesday, which the NSCDC operatives reportedly blocked.
Following this, tensions escalated, leading the officers to return on Thursday, allegedly to confront the civil defence personnel. The video footage shows the security operatives exchanging blows and slapping one another.
An eyewitness explained, “Some policemen on Tuesday wanted to arrest someone in the estate without a warrant, but NSCDC officers intervened. On Thursday, the police returned with reinforcements to overpower the civil defence officers.” The witness added that one of the NSCDC members was injured during the scuffle and later taken by police to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Osogbo, with no statement made yet by the NSCDC commandant.
Efforts to reach Yemisi Opalola, the spokesperson for the Osun Police Command, were unsuccessful, as calls to her number went unanswered, and there was no response to a text message sent.
Conflicts among Nigerian security agencies have a longstanding history. In 2023, officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) clashed at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over the custody of former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele. Video footage from that incident showed DSS officers dragging and assaulting an NCS official.
Similarly, in 2022, soldiers from the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army reportedly beat a police officer to death after a confrontation. The Nigerian Army in 2021 also accused police officers of brutality against its personnel and instructed military officers to document cases of such abuse. A letter from the Chief of Army Staff addressed the ongoing friction, especially during joint security operations, which often results in injuries and even fatalities among personnel.
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