By Amos Tauna
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Lagos to carry out a detailed investigation into alleged misconduct by four policemen in Lagos.
Idris added that appropriate disciplinary action be taken against anyone found to have erred.
“ACP Abayomi Shogunle, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, Nigeria Police Force, Force Headquarters in a statement said, “All four policemen and bank statement of account have been handed over to the AIG Zone 2 by PCRRU investigators for the required action.”
The investigation is following a 17th August, 2017 viral social media post in which a citizen alleged that two officers one named Mathew Olasiji olaadujoye and Oba Roland stationed along Ogudu road, pulled him over and asked for his cell phone.
“I refused to hand it over cuz I felt it was infringement of my privacy…but it was forcefully taken and my messages were viewed along with my account details and other private areas in fone and I was extorted for 100000 naira the excuse for this was cuz he saw in my google app that I had more than one gmail log in…so I was tagged a yahoo boy…I was detained for 4 hours…and my car keys taken from me…I wasn’t released until I transferred to mAthew’s account a total of 15,000,” the statement explained.
The statement explained that following the receipt of the complaint, the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, immediately registered the case and ticket number PCRRU972905 was issued.
It added that the author of the post (name withheld) was contacted and a meeting between him and PCRRU investigators took place at the Force Headquarters Annex, Moloney Street, Lagos on Monday 21st August, 2017, stressing that the police officers involved; two Inspectors and two Sergeants attached to Ogudu Divison, Lagos state have been identified and removed from duty that involves any form of contact with members of the public pending the conclusion of a detailed investigation.
The statement noted that the PCRRU preliminary investigation shows that the policemen on the 16th of August, 2017 at about 11:00am intercepted the complainant along Ogudu road and in the course of their interaction went beyond their mandate by going through the contents of the complainant’s mobile phone.
It said the Bank statement of account confirms that the complainant following the orders of one of the officers transferred the sum of fifteen thousand naira (N15,000) into the account of a third party (name withheld).
The statement reminded members of the public that the PCRRU is open 24/7 to receive and resolve all complaints relating to issues of police misconduct from across the country.
