Police authorities have confirmed the arrest of officers filmed extorting a motorist and threatening him with detention had he been an Igbo. The incident, which sparked outrage online, involved a Nigerian man who had just returned from the United Kingdom and was stopped at a checkpoint by officers who then attempted to extort him.

In the viral video, one officer is heard telling the motorist he would have detained — and in some accounts, slapped — him had he been Igbo, a remark widely condemned as ethnically discriminatory conduct by law enforcement. Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Abayomi Jimoh said the command had taken note of the video with serious concern, and police authorities have since moved to arrest the officers involved, who are now under investigation.

The case adds to a string of viral police-conduct videos in Nigeria this year, reigniting public criticism over extortion at checkpoints and, in this instance, allegations of ethnic bias among officers meant to serve all citizens equally.