Chiemelie Ezeobi
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Ag. CP Edgal Imohimi, has debunked allegation that some operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) shot a youth at the Yaba area of the state.
The CP, who was reacting to a newspaper publication, not THISDAY, said the report was unfounded as their investigation at the said location yielded no fruit.
In a statement signed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, the CP said, “After careful perusal of the story (…sic) titled ” Mob chases SARS operatives for shooting Lagos youth”, we wish to assure the general public that such an event did not happen in Yaba nor in any part of the state, neither was it reported at any police formation within Lagos State Police Command.
“The Divisional Police Officers in charge of Yaba and Adekunle police stations in whose areas the killing purportedly took place, have jointly debunked the allegation as a ruse.
“The Commissioner of Police therefore enjoins Lagosians to always take news concerning police activities emanating from social media platforms with a pinch of salt as some of them maybe diversionary or a ploy to incite members of the public against the police.
“In a similar vein, the Commissioner of Police also wishes to state that no young man was brutalised by SARS operatives in Lagos as alleged in some social media platforms nor did any young man report that he was brutalised to any of the police formation under Lagos State Command.
“The Commissioner of Police further encourage residents of Lagos to report infringement of their rights by any police officer to the Citizens Complaint Centre, which he established on assumption of office.
“They can call any of the following phone numbers, viz: 08067945296, 08063025274, 08113615350, 08113683077, 08096283148, 08096283283, 08089781657, 08126404930 and 08081426895.”
