A trending video capturing a tense standoff between University of Jos students and police officers has sparked a national conversation regarding police extortion and youth profiling in Nigeria.
The incident occurred near Vom as a 400-level Crop Production student was returning from training at the National Veterinary Research Institute.
According to reports, officers at a checkpoint attempted to conduct a search of the student’s phone. When the student questioned the search, it led to harassment, but fellow students intervened to force the officers to back off.
Some said the students were obstructing the Police from doing their duties while some opposed, saying that it was right for the students to stand against bullying and harassment from corrupt officers.
Here are some of the reactions from X (formerly Twitter)
biG SteppER (@_nexarion): “That’s my course mate right there, and I was present sef Walahi I never thought I would witness this shit happen before my eyes And this men were on some illegal moves, cos the moment they saw everyone brought out their phones they began to panic and let us go”
Nedu_🔥 (@Hhonor_): “Despite all the outrage and conversations around police brutality, some Nigerian police officers still act with impunity. Officers were recently seen in broad daylight harassing a student for reasons yet to be identified.”
iam_obago (@iam_obago): “This should be the Norm when we see the police harassing any Nigerian on the road This videoing and Not intervening Culture that we have needs to die”
WITCHER 🏴☠️ (@Witcher600): “there’s a reason you will hardly see videos like this coming out of the north. LoL we no get cooperation for this side, na luck the guy get sef”
Olusegun Iselaiye (@iotama…): “These students refused to allow these police officers to harass one of them. Police harassment in Nigeria is getting out of hand!”
Onyeka jr (@OnyekaKenned…): “If we normalize standing up for each other all this will stop imagine few people harassing millions of Nigerian youths think about it”
Alwell Sno (@Alwell_Sno): “We are all we’ve got! If we act like this it would be a better and safe place for us all. Police people are hungry and most of them have targets to meet for their superiors. Them go arrest you for nothing just to collect something from you. Money!”
United Emirates (@sly_emirates): “Please 🙏 always speak up when you see police harassment”
Ozoka prosper (@OzokaProsper): “Police have made a bad name and we don’t know if they are making a legal arrest or about to extort. By the way, the students are obstructing the Police but might be an illegal detention/arrest 😟”
Dr. Adetayo Olagbegi (@gbegs…): “When we collectively rise up against bullying and harassment from corrupt officers, we no longer give room for impunity.”
Favour💫 (@shezzz_pretty): “I wish Nigerians would stand up for each other like this and confront the criminals, repentant terrorists, and kidnappers we have as police in this country.”
CEE DEE QEEW 101 (@ceede…): “Na this kind settings of student i love, no be all those omo Ole ( coward). I dey always talk am say Police no fit handle masses crowd, I swear dem go run.”
D Game90 (@DGAME90_): “The power of unity can never be underestimated.”
Halo (@ceremonialh3ad): “I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS When you see police harassing a young man and you’re sure he didn’t do anything wrong please don’t walk past, don’t stand and watch, speak up oo It might be you even if you carry bible wear suit”.