Actress Laide Bakare Alleges Police Misconduct After Paying N70,000 Traffic Violation Fine

Nollywood actress, Laide Bakare has accused the Lagos State Police of misconduct after she was stopped and fined for contravening traffic laws.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos State Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident via a post on his verified X handle on Sunday.

Bakare, in a video posted on her Instagram page on Sunday, accused the police of misconduct after being accused of driving on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lane along Ikorodu Expressway on Saturday.

She stated that the police officers entered her car and drove away with her 14-year-old daughter to an undisclosed location.

She added that her daughter was left terrified by the incident and expressed concerns over the behaviour of the police, and accused them of exploiting and robbing vulnerable people.

Bakare also alleged that the officers demanded and withdrew N70,000 from her ATM card.

“For the first time, I experienced the brutal way Nigerians are being treated along that axis. I can’t imagine how someone with a brain and sanity will enter someone’s car and drive it away with a minor in it.

“My daughter was left terrified over the incident, a lot of things are happening in this country that needs to be attended to.

“The police only target big cars and vulnerable people to exploit and rob. Just because they needed our ATM card to take out N70,000,” she said.

In response to the allegations, SP Hundeyin while providing a detailed account of the events stated that the actress was stopped for driving on the BRT lane and was fined accordingly.

He denied any misconduct by the officers, noting that Bakare created a scene and chose to remain outside her vehicle while it was being taken to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) office.

“You were stopped for contravening traffic laws by driving on the BRT lane. You chose to create a scene. You chose to remain out of your vehicle when it was being taken to Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) office.

“The officers were not going to succumb to your gimmick to hold them down at that spot. You rightly paid the correct fine for your offence – N70,000 – into government coffers. You left with the receipt and your vehicle. Not a finger was laid on you,” Hundeyin clarified.