Ex-IGP Abubakar recounts how he was arrested by own officers

Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police and later Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, has narrated how he was once “arrested” by policemen under his command during an unannounced patrol — an incident he says taught him the enduring value of discipline, humility, and mercy in leadership.

According to Abubakar, the episode occurred on a Saturday as he was heading to his office for a 10:00 a.m. appointment. While driving along Herbert Macaulay Way in Lagos, he decided to stop at a police checkpoint to observe the officers on duty.

“One of the constables flagged me down and said, ‘Good morning, young man. Where are you going in your father’s Jeep?’ He demanded my ID, and I asked to see his first. He had none,” Abubakar recalled.

The matter escalated when the constable summoned his superior, a sergeant, who also insisted on seeing his identification. Playing along, Abubakar allowed them to escort him to Yaba Police Station — all the while, they had no idea they were dealing with the state Commissioner of Police.

At the station, things took a sharper turn when an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), dressed in shorts, ordered him into an office. “I refused because he wasn’t in uniform. He pushed me, and I pulled him back,” Abubakar said.

It was only when a station worker compared his face with the Commissioner’s official portrait on the wall that panic set in. “The ASP and the sergeant jumped out of the window when they realised who I was,” he recounted.

Soon after, the Area Commander called to inform him that the DPO, ASP, and others involved had been detained, awaiting his orders.

Rather than dismiss them, Abubakar chose leniency. “Over 100 families came to plead. One man told me the officer was the only one from his village. I realised that sacking one man could hurt 30 others,” he explained.

Reflecting on the incident, he said: “Leadership is not always about punishment. Sometimes, mercy speaks louder and teaches a deeper lesson.”