KAI officials seize utensils and food from Sarah Martins on roadside median
Actress Sarah Martins has claimed she was harassed by KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) officials while cooking food for the poor along a roadside median in Lagos. A video making rounds shows the moment officials allegedly swooped in and seized her cooking utensils, gas, and meals that she was preparing for vulnerable people. In the footage, bystanders could be seen protesting, accusing the task force of disrupting a charitable act.
According to Sarah Martins, the incident occurred at the Admiralty area of Lekki Phase 1, where she often carries out her charity cooking outreach. She said she was serving free meals to the homeless and less privileged when uniformed officials descended, took away her pots, gas, and food, and even poured hot oil on her hand. Her hand appeared swollen in the video, and she was visibly emotional as she narrated the ordeal. The actress insisted that she was not selling anything but only offering free assistance to needy people.
Eyewitnesses at the scene echoed her claims, saying the officials accused her of using a public median as a “kitchen” and obstructing public space. Some passersby shouted in protest, demanding that the utensils and food be returned. Others comforted Sarah Martins, who was visibly shaken and in pain from her burns. The crowd’s anger was palpable as they questioned why a goodwill act was met with force.
In response to the uproar, the Lagos State Government, through its Senior Special Assistant on New Media Jubril Gawat, defended the actions of the officials. The government stated that the move was part of its sanitation enforcement efforts. It argued that cooking on the median violates environmental and safety regulations and that unauthorized use of public infrastructure cannot be tolerated. While affirming the importance of charity, authorities urged that such acts be conducted in compliance with laws and coordinated with relevant agencies.
The video has sparked wide debate across social media. Some Nigerians condemned the officials’ handling of the situation, describing it as inhumane and counterproductive. Others maintained that public order must be upheld and that well-meaning philanthropy should not override regulations. The incident raises critical questions about how charity work should be regulated in public spaces and how enforcement must balance order with compassion.
