A heated confrontation between officers of the Edo State Police Command and the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) has triggered a discreet investigation, with sanctions awaiting personnel found culpable.
The incident, captured in a viral video circulating on social media, took a dramatic turn when an officer of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) was seen firing his rifle into the air during the altercation.
Apparently alarmed by the development, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, CP Patrick Daaor, has interviewed representatives of both sides and ordered an investigation to establish what sparked the confrontation and who was responsible.
The police boss also directed that the conduct of the officer seen firing the rifle be subjected to appropriate disciplinary review.
CP Daaor said the command would not shield any personnel found to have acted outside professional standards.
The Command said any officer found culpable after the investigation would face appropriate sanctions in line with extant laws and regulations.
The command Public Relations Officer ASP Eno Ikoedem disclosed this in a statement released on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
She, however, stressed that the incident would not undermine the established working relationship between the Police Command and EDSTMA, describing inter-agency cooperation and mutual respect as essential to public safety.
“The Command wishes to reassure members of the public that it does not, and will not, condone any act of indiscipline, unprofessional conduct or abuse of police powers by any of its personnel. Any officer irrespective of the agency found culpable after due investigation will be appropriately sanctioned in line with extant laws and regulations,” she stated.
The Command spokesperson urged members of the public not to take the law into their hands but to report police misconduct through its Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
According to ASP Ikoedem, the CRU can be reached on 0810 038 9992 and 0815 099 9335, while emergency lines are 08077773721, 08067551618, 08056776365, 08123827225 and 08037646272.
Our reporter recalled that pandemonium reportedly erupted at Third Junction, Benin City on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when officers of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) engaged personnel of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA) in a physical confrontation, leaving at least one traffic official injured.
The incident, which occurred at about 3:00 p.m., reportedly escalated into sporadic gunshots, sending motorists, pedestrians, traders and other members of the public scrambling for safety in the busy area.
