Lagos Police Dismiss Five Cops for Extortion

Chiemelie Ezeobi and Rebecca Ejifoma

For various offenses ranging from extortion to other allied crimes, the Lagos State Police Command has arrested and wednesday dismissed five policemen.

The dismissed cops were identified as Samuel Ando, Richard Ugwu, Daniel Osaimayu, Sergeant Sulaiman Muhammed, and Corporal Michael Adeoya.

One of the dismissed cops, Osaimayu, a sergeant, who was attached to the Lagos State Task Force, was arrested for extorting N50, 000 from motorists.

He said, “I was at my duty post in Oshodi when X-squad officials of the command arrested me. That was at about 10.am. A guy was arrested and during search, the money was found on him. And the suspect confessed and pointed at me that I sent him.

“After I was arrested, I was brought to the X-squad office in Ikeja. They searched me, but no money was found on me. The Commissioner of Police should please reconsider me. I have a family I cater for.”

Another cop, Adeoya, said, “I was coming down from inside a tricycle when I was arrested by the X-squad officers at Mile 12 market on Monday. I went to the market and I am an orderly to an APC chairman at Kosofe LGA.

“I went to the market to buy food for my chickens which I rear at home. I was surprised when I was arrested. After I was interrogated, I was told by the police at the squad that I was arrested for improper dressing. Now there is nobody to feed my chickens. They would have all died.”

Ugwu who was arrested in Sabo, Yaba for improper dressing said, “I wore slippers because of the wounds I have on my leg. That is my offence. I am not into extortion.”

Another cop, Sulaiman said, “I was attached to Idimu police division; I was on a night duty at a politicians house called Oladun House. When I had an asthmatic attack.

“But I was able to manage with my inhaler. Someone now gave me a ride from Idimu. I was coming to the office when they arrested me for improper dressing. I am not into extortion.”

However, the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, while parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Ikeja, said Ando who was dismissed for extortion from Oyo State Command was arrested for a similar crime in Lagos.

He said, “Some of the policemen who were bent on tarnishing the image of the police will be shown the way out of the service.

“They were arrested for mounting road block which contravenes the Inspector General of Police’s directives on road block across the country.

“We are doing this to serve as a lesson to other police officers to desist from the act and exposing those who are bent on disgracing the police.

“Any policeman that falls short of the police regulations would be fired. We cannot continue to accept such act.”

Owoseni added that the command had been able to record key achievements in the state including the arrest of 10 notorious armed robbery suspects and six kidnapping suspects.

Related Articles