Lagos Police Command Vows Action Against Officers Accused of Soliciting Bribe from Drone Operator on Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge
The Lagos State Police Command has responded to a viral video showing two police officers demanding a drone permit from a drone operator on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.
In the video, the cyclist operating the drone was stopped by the officers and asked for a permit. The cyclist expressed surprise at the request, stating that he was unaware of needing a permit to fly a drone in Nigeria. The officers explained that he should have obtained a permit from either the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) or the police before using the drone. After delaying him for over an hour, the officers were caught on camera asking for a bribe.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified that the officers acted within the law by requesting a permit. He highlighted that Nigerian aviation laws mandate obtaining a permit from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for operating drones weighing more than 250 grams within the country.
However, Hundeyin condemned the unprofessional conduct of the officers in attempting to extort the drone operator, as seen in the video. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, instructed the Commanding Officer of 49 PMF Akodo to produce the officers for appropriate disciplinary actions.
