FCT Police Commissioner Orders Immediate Redeployment of DPO Caught on Video Slapping Arrested Man
In a swift response to public outrage over a viral video showing police brutality, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, has ordered the immediate redeployment of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ushafa Division. The incident, captured on tape and widely shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), depicts the unnamed officer slapping a young man during an arrest, drawing widespread condemnation for unprofessional conduct.
The video surfaced on October 22, 2025, showing the officer physically assaulting the detainee amid what appeared to be a routine stop in Ushafa, a suburb of Abuja. The footage quickly amassed thousands of views, sparking calls for accountability from netizens and civil society groups who decried it as emblematic of systemic police abuse in Nigeria. By the following day, the FCT Police Command issued a statement confirming the officer’s removal from frontline duties.
Official Response and Investigation
In the statement, signed by Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh, CP Dantawaye described the officer’s actions as “unacceptable and contrary to the ethics of the Nigeria Police Force.” The commissioner emphasized that the behavior fell “short of the high standards of discipline, civility, and professionalism expected of police officers.”
“Consequently, the officer has been redeployed to the FCT Police Command Headquarters with immediate effect, and the situation is currently under investigation,” Adeh added. Administrative disciplinary measures are underway, with Dantawaye warning that “any act of misconduct or abuse of power will attract severe sanctions.”
The commissioner also urged residents to report suspicious activities or police misconduct via emergency lines: 08061581938, 08032003913, or 08107314192, reinforcing a call for mutual respect in community policing.
Broader Context: A Pattern of Police Accountability in Nigeria
This redeployment is part of a recent wave of internal reforms within the Nigeria Police Force, triggered by high-profile viral incidents. Just days earlier, on October 21, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, ordered the redeployment of the DPO of Enu-Owa Division for allegedly allowing social media influencer Adefolarin Ayomiposi (known as Mandykiss) to “effect the arrest” of a mother and daughter over an online insult dispute. The video of Mandykiss filming and verbally abusing the women in custody went viral, exposing lapses in supervisory oversight.
Similar actions have been taken in other states: In April 2025, the Ondo CP redeployed a DPO in Igbara-Oke over extortion allegations, and in February, Lagos’ CP Ishola Olanrewaju Olawale removed the Ijeshatedo Mushin DPO for refusing to release gun-toting suspects linked to a politician. These cases highlight a growing reliance on social media scrutiny to prompt swift internal responses, though critics argue redeployments often fall short of full accountability.
Human rights organizations like Amnesty International and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have long criticized such incidents as symptomatic of deeper issues, including inadequate training and oversight. In a June 2025 statement on a similar raid, Amnesty called for an end to “arbitrary arrests and abuse,” urging reforms under the Police Act 2020.
Public Reaction and Calls for Reform
The Ushafa video ignited a firestorm on X, with hashtags like #EndSARS2.0 and #PoliceBrutalityNigeria trending nationwide. Users shared the clip with captions like “Another DPO slapping citizens like it’s 2020—when will it end?” (from @NaijaRightsWatch, 12K likes). Civil society figures, including SERAP’s Adetokunbo Mumuni, demanded a transparent probe: “Redeployment is a start, but prosecution is justice.”
For residents of the FCT—home to over 3 million in Abuja’s suburbs—this incident exacerbates trust erosion. Economically, it underscores policing’s role in urban safety, where unprofessionalism deters investment and tourism (Nigeria’s $10B sector). Lifestyle-wise, everyday arrests turn routine stops into fear-filled ordeals, straining community-police ties. Politically, it revives #EndSARS ghosts (2020 protests killed 12+), pressuring Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun’s reform pledges amid 2027 elections. Technologically, body cams (piloted in Lagos) could curb such abuses, but rollout lags nationwide.
As the investigation unfolds, eyes remain on Dantawaye for follow-through—will it end in sanctions or another quiet transfer? For now, the redeployment signals responsiveness, but true change demands systemic overhaul.
By Sam Michael
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