By Emmanuel Daniji

What started as a routine stop-and-search operation in Egbeda, Lagos, ended in tragedy after a police sergeant was knocked down and dragged underneath a vehicle, eventually losing his life from the injuries he sustained.

Sergeant Johnson Okediji was carrying out stop-and-search duties with other officers along Olugbede Street, Egbeda, on Saturday, September 26, 2026, when they flagged down a Lexus ES 350 with registration number FKJ 223 KX.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, disclosed the incident on Monday during a briefing on the Command’s activities for September.

According to Fatai, the driver, identified as 21-year-old Olumide Olusola, initially stopped but suddenly accelerated as Sergeant Okediji approached the driver’s side.

The Commissioner said the officer was knocked down and dragged underneath the vehicle for several metres despite attempts by fellow policemen and passers-by to make the driver stop.

The driver was eventually chased and arrested, while the injured officer was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.

Okediji had sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries. He was, however, pronounced dead on arrival at LASUTH.

His remains have been deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while the Lexus has been recovered to the police station.

Olusola, who was paraded after his arrest, gave a different account of what happened. He reportedly claimed that the vehicle’s brake failed and that he was unable to stop it.

“I did not kill the policeman intentionally. It was due to the vehicle’s brake failure,” he said.

His claim has not been independently established. The police account is that he initially stopped when officers flagged down the vehicle before accelerating as Sergeant Okediji approached.

The incident has brought renewed attention to the dangers faced by police officers during roadside enforcement operations, while the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death remain subject to investigation.