DESTMA warns officers over viral video, orders retraining

Some traffic marshals of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) involved in an enforcement operation captured in a viral video have been reprimanded following allegations of misconduct and damage to a road user’s vehicle.

The officers were directed to undergo daily retraining to reinforce professionalism, discipline and compliance with the authority’s operational standards.

Director-General of DESTMA, Dr Benjamin Okiemute, constituted a board of inquiry to investigate the incident after reviewing the conduct of the officers involved.

Addressing the officers, Okiemute stressed that professionalism, restraint and respect for road users were fundamental to their duties.

“I have said that your work must always show the professionalism you have been trained to exhibit,” he said, warning that enforcement activities must strictly adhere to established procedures.

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During the inquiry, the officers explained that the red Volkswagen Golf captured in the viral video had allegedly been moving suspiciously, with several occupants, including an agitated woman.

They also claimed that the vehicle’s number plate was concealed, making it difficult to identify its registration number.

According to the officers, the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s movement and the obscured registration details raised suspicions of possible kidnapping or abduction.

However, the director-general and members of the panel observed that the available evidence was insufficient to establish the full circumstances surrounding the encounter, necessitating a thorough review of the incident and the applicable rules of engagement.

Okiemute emphasised that while officers must remain vigilant against suspicious activities, their actions must be guided by sound judgment, professionalism and approved operational procedures.

He directed a review of the authority’s rules of engagement to clarify the appropriate response to suspected criminal activities during traffic enforcement operations.

The affected officers will remain off enforcement duties until the review is concluded and further directives are issued.

The DESTMA boss reaffirmed that effective traffic management must go hand in hand with accountability and public confidence, stressing that enforcement must be firm when necessary but always conducted within the bounds of professionalism and established operational standards.