Police officers from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Nigeria Police Force have been caught on CCTV stealing mobile phones from a shop in Idogun, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The incident occurred on March 22, 2025, during a period of heightened tension in the community.
Seketi Adebowale, an Ondo State resident, shared CCTV footage implicating the two policemen in the theft of what he claims to be phones worth over N1 million in his shop.
Adebowale took to Facebook on Saturday afternoon to share three videos; one showed a policeman entering the shop at 10:52 am and leaving with an item, and another clip showed a different policeman doing the same a minute later. The third video was of an expelled shell casing.
He claimed the incident occurred in Idogun Community, and the policemen responsible were from the SWAT team in Akure, the state capital.
Adebowale said the police were in the area in connection with a larger conflict involving a Navy captain, Jide Falade, and the local king.
The dispute began after the king allegedly accused Falade of armed robbery and kidnapping, leading to his arrest and court appearance on March 21. The hearing was adjourned to March 22.
Tensions escalated when supporters of Falade gathered to protest his detention. SWAT officers, reportedly acting on the king’s instructions, arrested several protesters and placed Falade in remand at Olokuta Prison.
The protests reportedly turned violent after police used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse the crowd.
“The protesters retaliated by throwing stones, forcing the police to retreat and abandon a gun, which was later returned by the protesters,” Adebowale said.
Following the unrest, the king allegedly led SWAT officers to specific homes and shops in the community, which were subsequently destroyed.
Adebowale’s shop was among those targeted.
“Early Saturday morning, my shop was targeted despite the presence of CCTV footage that captured the culprits,” he said. “The police further assaulted residents, including men, women, and children, and even killed animals.”
In another video, a woman and a boy were seen showing injuries allegedly inflicted by the police. The boy said he was beaten with sticks. The woman claimed that the officers threatened to kill her, Sahara Reporters reports.
“They kicked the door open and came in. They cut my son with a cutlass and used the blunt part to beat me. One of them threatened to slash my head. I told him to go ahead and kill me. He said he would kill me, but one of them stopped him,” the woman said.
Adebowale called for an investigation into the actions of the SWAT officers and justice for the victims.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in Ondo issued a statement earlier. Via this statement, they admitted policemen were in the area for an ‘intervention’ at the time of the incident, but said the phone theft incident could not have happened because there was no phone shop.
This statement read, “The attention of the Command has been drawn to a video circulating online alleging Policemen on quick intervention duty at Idogun of stealing from a phone shop.
“The video is misleading as it has been confirmed by the traditional leader, stakeholders, and men on duty that there is no mobile phone shop in Idogun.
However, we urge anyone with a genuine complaint to follow the right channel by submitting a petition to the office of the Commissioner of Police with evidence for proper investigation. The Command remains dedicated to upholding justice and maintaining public trust.”
