A 21-year-old driver, Olumide Olushola, has attributed the death of a Lagos police sergeant, Johnson Okediji, to an alleged brake failure after his vehicle struck the officer during a stop-and-search operation in the Egbeda area of the state.
Olushola, who was paraded alongside other suspects at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja on Monday, denied deliberately hitting the policeman, insisting that he lost control of the Lexus ES 350 he was driving when its brakes failed.
The incident occurred at about 2.20pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, on Olugbede Street, Egbeda, after officers conducting a stop-and-search operation flagged down the vehicle.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, said the driver initially stopped but allegedly accelerated as Sergeant Okediji approached the driver’s side.
The officer was reportedly knocked down and dragged for several metres before the vehicle was eventually stopped.
Tijani said the injured policeman suffered multiple fractures and severe head injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The commissioner said the deceased officer’s remains had been deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while the Lexus, with registration number FKJ 223 KX, was recovered by the police for investigation.
Speaking during his parade, Olushola said he had noticed a problem with the vehicle’s braking system and had taken it to a mechanic a day before the incident for repairs.
He claimed the mechanic replaced the brake pads but the problem persisted.
According to the suspect, he noticed the brake slipping again after purchasing fuel on the day of the incident but intended to return the vehicle to the mechanic later.
He said he was already attempting to stop when the vehicle struck the officer and another vehicle.
Olushola, who said he sells phones, gadgets and laptops, expressed regret over the policeman’s death, saying he was deeply distressed that the incident involved an officer of the law.
He also claimed that the Lexus belonged to his mother, who had acquired it the previous month.
The police said investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident was ongoing, with the command expected to establish what caused the vehicle to hit the officer and the events leading to his death.
