‘Officer took my car at gun point’ | ‘You said Google Maps misled you’ — Arise TV journalist, police trade words over BRT lane offence

Oseni Rufai, Arise Television journalist, has alleged that a police officer forcefully took his car over alleged traffic violation.

The journalist said a police officer pointed a gun at him because he committed a traffic offence.

“A Nigerian police officer pointed a gun at me and forcefully took my keys and drove my car off, because he wanted to enforce a traffic infraction,” he wrote on Twitter.

Reacting to Oseni’s statement, Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police spokesperson, said the journalist disobeyed traffic laws and resisted the police.

He said Oseni admitted to committing a traffic offence by passing through the bus rapid transit (BRT) lane, and that his claim that he was misdirected by Google Maps is not tenable. 

Hundeyin, however, said the police will pay attention to the issue and sanction the officer involved if found guilty.

“Rufai, let’s not do this. You admitted to me that you passed a BRT lane. It’s against the law,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Your claim that google maps took you there is not tenable. You disobeyed and resisted the officers. We will sanction the officer who misused firearm if proven…”