Recent reports and video footage have confirmed another altercation between Nigerian police officers and officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), marking the latest in a growing series of inter-agency confrontations.
In the most recent incident, a police officer was captured on video firing a gun into the air during a heated dispute with road safety personnel.
According to eyewitness accounts, the confrontation occurred on a busy roadway and began as an argument over traffic control and jurisdiction. As tempers flared, the police officer reportedly returned to his vehicle, retrieved a firearm, and discharged it into the air. Witnesses said the officer acted out of anger because the FRSC officials “no wan gree for am,” meaning they refused to yield or back down during the confrontation.
The video has since circulated widely, sparking public criticism of both agencies. Many Nigerians condemned the officer’s reckless use of a firearm in a civilian area, describing it as a clear act of indiscipline. Others also faulted FRSC officials for what they described as heavy-handed enforcement tactics that often frustrate motorists and lead to unnecessary conflicts.
This incident follows a troubling pattern of violent encounters between the police and road safety officials. In February 2025, a man in police uniform allegedly shot and injured an FRSC officer in Lagos during a nationwide operation targeting fake number plates, forcing the FRSC to suspend the exercise. That same month, another confrontation at Ojota, Lagos, ended with a police officer firing shots at FRSC personnel before fleeing the scene. In May 2025, a police officer in Ibadan, while pursuing a traffic violator during a joint operation with the state traffic agency, accidentally killed a 14-year-old student with a stray bullet.
These repeated clashes underscore persistent issues of rivalry, indiscipline, and misuse of authority among Nigeria’s uniformed agencies. Analysts have long warned that such inter-agency hostilities not only endanger public safety but also erode citizens’ confidence in law enforcement institutions meant to protect them.
