Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A bizarre and troubling incident has unfolded in Ore, Ondo State, where a Mobile Police officer attached to MOPOL 20 in Lagos was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, August 9, 2026, after he and two other men dressed in Civil Defence uniforms allegedly attempted to dismantle a security barricade during a stop‑and‑search operation. The incident, which occurred at about 12:20 a.m., has raised serious questions about the integrity of security personnel and the potential for uniformed officers to engage in activities that undermine public safety and the rule of law.
According to a situation report from the Ore Divisional Police Headquarters, personnel of the Mining Enforcement and Security team were conducting a routine stop‑and‑search operation in Ore when they accosted a Hilux vehicle carrying three men dressed in Civil Defence uniforms. The security personnel on duty were taken aback when the three men reportedly came down from the vehicle and began to dismantle the security barricade that had been set up as part of the operation. The motive behind their actions remains unclear, but the confrontation that followed exposed a troubling breach of protocol.
When the security personnel challenged the men, two of them reportedly returned to the Hilux and sped away, leaving their companion behind. The third man, however, was apprehended at the scene and taken to the police station for questioning. It was during interrogation that the suspect made a startling revelation: he identified himself as a Mobile Police officer attached to MOPOL 20 in Lagos. He was further identified as Force Number 530219, Corporal Dambaki Abreme, who enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on January 10, 2022. The officer remains in custody, while a rifle allegedly in his possession, along with 30 rounds of ammunition, has also been taken into custody.
The arrest of a serving police officer in Civil Defence uniform has sparked widespread concern and raised uncomfortable questions about the extent of collusion or impersonation within Nigeria's security architecture. The circumstances surrounding the officer's presence in Civil Defence uniform and the identities of the two men who escaped are yet to be established. The fact that an officer attached to a Mobile Police unit in Lagos was found in Ondo State, dressed in the uniform of a different security agency and attempting to dismantle a barricade, suggests a level of operational irregularity that demands urgent investigation.
The incident in Ore is not an isolated case of security personnel acting outside their mandate. In February 2026, a trending three-minute video showed three uniformed officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps assaulting a man in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, for refusing to be extorted. That incident, which went viral on social media, exposed the vulnerability of citizens to harassment by those sworn to protect them. Similarly, in July 2026, the Ondo State Police Command arrested three men in connection with the violent assault and armed robbery of a police officer in Agadagba, Ese‑Odo Local Government Area. These incidents paint a disturbing picture of a security sector grappling with internal discipline challenges and a breakdown of professional standards.
The Mining Enforcement and Security team, which was conducting the stop‑and‑search operation in Ore, operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. Their presence in the area is part of a broader effort to curb illegal mining activities, which have become a major source of revenue for criminal networks and a driver of environmental degradation in mineral‑rich states like Ondo. The team's work is often carried out in collaboration with other security agencies, including the police, the Civil Defence Corps, and the military. However, the latest incident suggests that some elements within the security apparatus may be working at cross‑purposes with these enforcement efforts.
The escape of the two men who fled the scene has added a layer of urgency to the investigation. Security agencies are now under pressure to identify and track down the fugitives, who may hold crucial information about the operation and its intended objectives. The fact that they were able to evade capture despite the presence of security personnel raises questions about the effectiveness of the response and the possibility of inside assistance. The police have not yet released any information about the vehicle used by the suspects or the direction in which they fled.
The arrest of Corporal Dambaki Abreme also raises concerns about the vetting and supervision of security personnel, particularly those attached to Mobile Police units. MOPOL units are often deployed to volatile areas and are expected to operate with a high degree of professionalism and discipline. The fact that an officer from MOPOL 20 in Lagos was involved in an incident in Ondo State, dressed in a different uniform, suggests a lack of oversight and accountability that could have serious implications for public trust in the police force. It also highlights the need for better coordination between security agencies to prevent impersonation and ensure that personnel are properly identified and accounted for.
As the investigation continues, the people of Ore and the wider Ondo State are left to wonder how many more security personnel are operating outside the bounds of their duties. The incident has exposed a dangerous vulnerability in Nigeria's security system, where uniformed officers can allegedly act with impunity, confident that their positions will shield them from scrutiny. The recovery of a rifle and ammunition from the arrested officer suggests that the group may have been armed for more than just a routine operation, raising the possibility that they were engaged in activities far removed from their official duties.
The police have yet to comment on the broader implications of the arrest, but the case is likely to become a test of the system's ability to hold its own members accountable. If the investigation is thorough and transparent, it could serve as a deterrent to other officers who may be tempted to abuse their positions. However, if the matter is swept under the carpet, it will only embolden those who see the uniform as a licence to operate outside the law. For now, Corporal Dambaki Abreme remains in custody, and the search for his two accomplices continues. The answers to the questions raised by this incident may determine whether Nigeria's security agencies can restore public confidence or whether the rot runs deeper than anyone is willing to admit.
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