A 43-YEAR-OLD commercial bus driver, Joseph Okpe, has died after he was allegedly beaten by officers of the Nigerian Air Force following a dispute over a minor traffic incident involving their vehicle along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos.
News Point Nigeria learnt that the incident occurred on May 9, 2026, and details of the case were contained in an Affidavit of Facts filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the Maitama Judicial Division. The document, which was made available to PUNCH Metro on Monday, alleged that the deceased was assaulted after a disagreement over damage to a vehicle belonging to Air Force personnel.
According to the affidavit deposed to by the deceased’s brother, Innocent Okpe, Joseph was carrying out his duties as a commercial bus driver when he was accosted by Air Force personnel travelling in a Coaster bus with registration number GO 1–14AF. The officers allegedly accused him of hitting their vehicle and demanded N100,000 as compensation for the damage.
When Okpe could not provide the money, the officers allegedly descended on him, repeatedly punching and battering his face and head until he nearly lost consciousness. The assault, according to the affidavit, only stopped after passersby and fellow commercial drivers intervened and pleaded with the officers to spare him.
The document further stated that some of the bystanders offered to raise N50,000 as compensation for the alleged damage to the vehicle. After the officers reportedly left the scene and continued their journey, the injured driver was rushed to several hospitals but was allegedly denied treatment.
A source familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said the victim was eventually taken to Charing Cross Clinic in Mushin, Lagos, where he was pronounced dead at about 5 p.m.
“The incident happened sometime after 3 p.m. He was taken to several hospitals, but they refused to admit him. They got to the last hospital around 5 p.m., and he was pronounced dead there. He died the same day,” the source said.
The source added that the incident was immediately reported at the Ilasa Police Division before the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation.
A Medical Certificate of Cause of Death signed by Dr. Okechukwu Ogboo of Charing Cross Clinic, Mushin, and dated May 13, 2026, reportedly listed the primary cause of death as “severe head injury,” while the secondary cause was stated as “pulmonary failure until his death.”
The late Joseph Okpe is survived by his wife and three children.
When contacted on Monday, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, said she would verify the incident and provide an update. However, no response had been received as of the time this report was filed.
The development has also revived concerns over previous allegations of assault involving Air Force personnel in Lagos. In March 2025, armed personnel from the Air Force Base in Ikeja allegedly assaulted PUNCH correspondent Dare Olawin while carrying out his lawful duties during an operation at the headquarters of Ikeja Electric, located opposite MITV in Ikeja.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Nigerian Air Force on the latest allegation were unsuccessful. The spokesperson for the force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, neither answered calls nor responded to WhatsApp messages sent to him regarding the May 9 incident as of the time of filing this report.