Lagos State Police Command has arrested four police Inspectors that allegedly harassed and extorted N70,000 from a 16-year-old student, simply known as Segun.
The police Inspectors arrested are Emmanuel Michael (223329), Sunday Odubiyi (146504), Lawrence Amedu (256496) and Aroye Dickson (255043).
The incident occurred on Monday, January 18, 2021, at NGAB Junction, Isheri area of the state, in a Toyota Corolla car.
The images of the policemen, who were caught in the act of unprofessionalism and extortion, had gone viral on the social media, and had attracted the Complaint Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Force Headquarters Abuja, which tracked the policemen for necessary police action.
In a statement signed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, he said that the matter was referred to the State Command for further action.
When investigated, the PPRO disclosed that the police Inspectors confessed to the crime, and refunded N70,000 to the student, on bond, which formed the key credible evidence and exhibit in the case.
Condemning the act of the Police Inspectors, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said that it was detrimental to the image of the Police Force, and counterproductive to the ongoing reform agenda of the Inspector-General of Police.
The PPRO said that the police commissioner had ordered an orderly room trial of the Inspectors with immediate effect, to serve as a deterrent to other criminally-minded police personnel in the command and beyond.
Odumosu also warned officers and men in the state that the command would spread its tentacles in fighting against such an act among police personnel.
He also assured the general public of people-oriented and community-based policing styles in Lagos State, as justice would be carried out in Segun’s case.
