Fury erupts over footage of Lagos police commissioner appearing at City Boy Movement gathering

A viral video has ignited a firestorm on social media, capturing the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, attending the inauguration of the City Boy Movement's Lagos State Chapter Executive Committee on Tuesday.

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The footage shows CP Tijani Fatai arriving at the event venue in Ikeja, where he exchanged pleasantries with dignitaries and walked through the gathering alongside other attendees and security personnel.

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In another clip from the event, the police commissioner is seen interacting with participants wearing caps bearing President Bola Tinubu's campaign logo and the initials "ST", which are widely associated with Seyi Tinubu, the President's son.

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The master of ceremonies introduced the police commissioner, saying, "The CP Tijani Fatai and his entourage, and please, we welcome them."

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The City Boy Movement is a youth-led sociopolitical group aligned with President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on grassroots mobilisation, youth empowerment, and support for APC-aligned candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The Lagos chapter inauguration reportedly included pledges to mobilise millions of votes in the South-West, highlighting the group's ambitious goals.

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Reacting to the event, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, an opposition party, condemned the police chief's presence in a statement on Tuesday, saying, "We condemn in the strongest terms the appearance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani, at a partisan event promoting a particular candidate in the upcoming general election."

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The party argued that the commissioner's attendance raised serious concerns about impartiality and signalled potential bias in the discharge of his duties during the elections, stating, "We understand that the rudderless APC-led administrations have no iota of respect for our institutions, but seeing a Commissioner of Police at a partisan event can only point to one thing: HE WILL BE BIASED."

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The NDC demanded the immediate suspension and sanction of CP Tijani by the Nigeria Police Force authorities, as well as a firm commitment to neutrality during the 2027 elections, protection for voters and supporters of other candidates, and the commissioner's resignation for allegedly denigrating the police institution.

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The development has sparked a heated debate on social media, with users like Abu Amir (#SadiqMaunde) questioning the appropriateness of a serving police commissioner's presence at an event organised by a movement associated with the ruling party, saying, "Today, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police was in attendance at the Lagos State Chapter City Boy Movement EXCO inauguration."

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Other users, such as Harmless (#HarmlessHQ), expressed similar concerns, asking, "I'm not being insecure, but what is the IG of Police doing at City Boy Movement inauguration?"

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Everest (#novieverest) wrote, "The Commissioner of Police for Lagos State attended the commissioning of the City Boy Movement in Lagos State, Tinubu destroys everything his hand touches," while Morris Monye (#Morris_Monye) added, "So can we invite CP to come to Obidient Movement exco meeting too in the spirit of being non-partisan."

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However, others defended the commissioner's attendance, describing it as part of community engagement or security duties, with APC chieftain Bashir Ahmad writing, "Write to him, if he is available at the time, it would be great for him to be present to help maintain security and order."

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Ahmad further clarified, "Obviously, he was there to help provide security and order, not to join the movement."

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As of Wednesday, neither the Lagos State Police Command nor the Nigeria Police Force headquarters had issued an official response to the video or the NDC's demands.

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The incident comes amid heightened political activities as parties and support groups intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.