Lagos — January 29, 2026
Activist Hassan Taiwo Soweto has detailed a harrowing account of assault, torture, and denial of legal rights at the hands of Lagos State Commissioner of Police Jimoh Moshood following his arrest during Wednesday’s protest against demolitions in waterfront communities.
According to testimony provided by Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Soweto was dragged into the Lagos State House of Assembly complex where Commissioner Moshood personally orchestrated a violent assault that included beatings, blindfolding, and denial of medical and legal rights. The activist appeared Thursday morning at Yaba Magistrate Court without shoes and in his underwear to face what civil society groups describe as rivolous charges for participating in the peaceful demonstration.
Commissioner Personally Led Brutal Assault
In his first-person account, Soweto described how Commissioner Moshood began assaulting him immediately after police forcibly dragged him into the Assembly complex—the same premises protesters had been denied access to for dialogue. “The CP began to beat me up immediately I was dragged into Alausa” Soweto recounted. When he realised I could see and recognised him among those assaulting me, he ordered his men to tear my shirt and blindfold me with it. They continued beating me until they decided to move me into a van and take me to Panti
According to Ibeh’s account, the Commissioner was screaming obscenities and berating Soweto for publicly accusing police of killing babies and innocent people during recent demolition operations. Officers used boots on his face during the assault. The beating was so severe that Sowetos eyeglasses were broken, leaving him partially blind. Police also seized his sneakers, forcing him to appear in court the following day without footwear.
At Panti Police Station, officers attempted what Soweto characterized as forced medical intervention. He was physically restrained while a nurse was summoned to forcibly inject and medicate him without his consent. Soweto resisted the procedure, threatening to report the medical professional to her union for attempting to treat him without consent. The nurse eventually backed down.
Systematic Denial of Legal and Constitutional Rights
On express orders from Commissioner Moshood, Soweto was denied access to his lawyer, family members, and civil society representatives who attempted to locate him. When police attempted to compel him to write a statement, he refused and demanded legal representation. Civil society actors who searched for Soweto across multiple police stations on Wednesday evening, including at the Commissioners office, were met with deliberate denial and feigned ignorance of his whereabouts.
Realizing they were acting outside legal bounds, police attempted a rushed arraignment. Soweto was transferred to a van and driven at high speed to Ogba Magistrate Court, but the court had already closed despite officers pleas for an emergency arraignment. He was returned to Panti and held overnight before being arraigned Thursday morning at Yaba Magistrate Court, still without footwear and wearing only his underwear, a degrading spectacle that rights groups say violates his human dignity.
Attack Part of Vindictive Pattern by Commissioner
CAPPA characterized the assault as clearly a vindictive attempt to destabilise yesterday’s protest, driven by a personal grievance against Soweto.
The targeting appears connected to previous confrontations between civil society and Commissioner Moshood. In 2025, the #EndBadGovernance Movement Lagos Chapter secured a court judgment of ₦10 million against the Commissioner for brutalizing peaceful protesters who commemorated the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS massacre at Lekki Tollgate.
The Commissioner and his officers have yet to comply with that court ruling, according to Ibeh.
During the assault, police officers also identified Ibeh as another target, referencing her January 15, 2026 engagement at the Lagos State House of Assembly where she challenged illegal demolitions in Makoko and refused intimidation by officers and the Divisional Police Officer attached to the Assembly area.
Officers described Ibeh’s clothing and eyeglasses from Wednesday;s protest, expressing regret that they had not arrested her during the chaos, stating they would have dealt with her as well.
Activists Arraigned on Frivolous Charges
Both Soweto and fellow activist Dele Frank, also known as Arole Fela, appeared before the Yaba Magistrate Court on charges that rights groups characterize as trumped-up and designed to criminalize legitimate protest. The charges stem from their participation in Wednesday’s demonstration against demolitions that have displaced thousands of residents from waterfront communities including Makoko, Oworonshoki, and Owode-Onirin.
Despite the brutality they endured, the activists maintained their spirits. According to Ibeh, while confined in police cells, Arole Fela, who bears a striking resemblance to legendary Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, treated fellow detainees to music and spirited dancing. The police officers, unfortunately for them, could only watch from outside, Ibeh wrote. Oppression never pays. We will continue to fight back.
Violations of Nigerian and International Law
The treatment of Soweto appears to violate multiple provisions of Nigerian law and international human rights standards. Section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to personal liberty and prohibits torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act requires that arrested persons be granted immediate access to legal representation and family members.
The attempted forced medical treatment potentially violates medical ethics standards and the principle of informed consent enshrined in Nigerian medical practice regulations.
International instruments including the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which Nigeria has ratified, prohibit the kind of physical abuse and degrading treatment Soweto described.
Pattern of Police Brutality Against Civil Society
The assault on Soweto represents the latest incident in a disturbing pattern of violence by Nigerian security forces against civil society activists and peaceful protesters. Commissioner Moshood has previously threatened to “smoke” #EndBadGovernance protesters and illegally declared presidential candidate and civil rights activist Omoyele Sowore as wanted; for standing in solidarity with victims of state violence.
Wednesday’s protest, which drew hundreds of displaced residents from communities facing demolition, was met with tear gas, live ammunition, and mass arrests despite its peaceful nature. Multiple protesters and journalists were hospitalized after police fired tear gas directly at the crowd. The crackdown has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations both within Nigeria and internationally.
Civil Society Demands Justice and Accountability
CAPPA and allied organizations are calling for immediate action against Commissioner Moshood and the officers involved in the assault.Demands include the immediate dismissal of Commissioner Moshood, criminal prosecution of all officers involved in the assault, unconditional release of Soweto and Frank, medical examination and treatment for injuries sustained, and full compliance with the outstanding ₦10 million court judgment from the 2025 case.
Rights groups are also calling for an independent investigation into the attempted forced medical treatment and the broader pattern of police abuse against protesters in Lagos State. The coalition has vowed to continue protests against demolitions and forced evictions, stating that police brutality will not intimidate them into silence.
* This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
