BREWING CRISIS : Police Dares Lagos Judiciary, As Power Drunk Area Commander Humiliates Magistrate, Slams Her In Cell

In what appears like a deliberate move to rubbish recent synergy between Commissioner of police, CP Abiodun Alabi and the Lagos State Judiciary, as well as an untactful desecration of the hallowed Chamber, which is known as the last hope of the common Man, the Area Commander of the Area ‘D’ Police Command, under the Lagos State Police Command, Assistant Commissioner Of Police, ACP Aliko Dankoli, was alleged to have thrown caution into the winds last Monday and slammed a visiting Magistrate on official duty (Names Witheld) into cell.

An impeccable Source at the Station revealed that the alleged humiliating treatment of the Magistrate, created more dramas and pandemonium, as a Chief Superintendent Of Police ,CSP, and the second in command, 2ic to ACP Dankoli, who could not stomach the unprofessional display of brute force and arrogance said to have been exhibited by ACP Dankoli, challenged his boss and a scuffle which literally led to fit cuffs ensured.

“But for the intervention of Junior officers and some members of the Magistrate entourage, the Command headquarters would have been turned into a war zone”, Our Source lamented.

It was learnt that the alleged detention and unprofessional conduct exhibited by ACP Dankoli , against a Magistrate on routine check on police cell, appears to be generating condemnation in the Lagos State Judiciary and the Police Command as well. Some Senior Police Officers who pleaded anonymity, expressed displeasure over what they tagged ‘the crude attitude of ACP Dankoli’, they however confirmed that State Counsels, Magistrate and lawyers attached to the Lagos State Judiciary , usually go around Police cells to speak to some detained suspects to verify what their matters are and seek ways of helping those who were illegally detained as well as indigent ones who may not be able to foot their legal bills, adding that this was not the first time such visitation was done at the Divisions and Commands.

Our credible source narrated that shortly after the Magistrate had arrived the Police Area ‘D’ Command , Mushin, last Monday, which coincidentally was while the ACP Dankoli was briefing his Sectional heads and Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, the Magistrate breezed in and briefed the 2/ic to the Area Commander about the visit. Have sought for permission ,the Magistrate was said to have moved to the cells but while she was yet talking to some detained suspects, the news of her presence got to the Area Commander, who got infuriated that the Magistrate should have waited and taken excuse from him before proceeding on her mission. He was said to have dashed out of the meeting with his DPOs and promptly ordered that the Magistrate be detained in the same cell.All entreaties and explanations by both ACP Dankoli’s 2ic, the Magistrate’s team as well as efforts by the traumatized magistrate, who was said to have open mouth wide in disbelief , trying to explain to the ‘charging’ commander that proper permission was taken before proceeding to inspect the cells, fell on deaf ears, as he was said to have ordered his men at the counter to humiliatingly detain the magistrate, our source narrated. According to our source, having satisfied his ego and fulfilled his threat, Dankoli was said to have picked his handset and called the Commissioner of Police, CP Sylvester Abiodun Alabi and deceived him that the Magistrate simply came into his Command and went straight to the cells without recourse to his consent. The source added that CP however, asked him to release the Magistrate without further delay but caution her afterward.However, ACP Dankoli , it was learnt, who his subordinates dread so much because of his alleged boasting of having strong connection at the police headquarters Abuja and Presidency, Aso Rock, was said to have disobeyed CP Alabi’s lawful order and did not release the Magistrate until late in the evening, even as members of the Magistrate’s entourage tried effortlessly making calls to effect the magistrates release.Other sources at the Area Command lamented that Dankoli had been transferred twice out of the Command but always find his way back to the same Command on each occasion.

He was further said to have been heard boasting that he had to complain to the CP just because he is the CP of the state not because he is his senior in the Police Force. “He is not my senior in the Force now, just because I do not have N10m to buy rank that is why I have to tell him and because he is the CP of the State,” the source stated . ” “Go and make your findings, ACP Dankoli does not carry his officers along in everything. Almost all the DPOs under him are living in fears of his constant intimidation, humiliation and threats since about five years ago he came to the Command. You can see that the peace which former Commander Olasoji Akinbayo emplaced in all the nooks and cranny of the area had been destabilized.Take for an example the notorious Akala street noted for hard drugs deals and other heinous crimes where a Police Sergeant was killed while on a lawful duty, you can see that those boys are back on their illegal trade and ACP Aliko Dankoli hands appears tied.Every Friday, they bring hung sums of money to him so he allows them go about their deadly trade. Remember when Olasoji was here, he disbanded that street and the sale of all manner of hard drugs stopped; but now the reverse is the case. Oga collects money from anybody and allow them do whatever they liked,” the source further said .

Responding to our inquiry over the alleged incident, Lagos State command Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ben Hundeyin, in a text message reaction, denied the incident, tagging it as fake news.

He said: ” It is fake news.No Magistrate was detained.And police did not cancel routine visits.we don’t even have the power to.We did not create the law in the first place”,SP Hundeyin stated.