Police ‘Bad Eggs’: Lagos Command Kicks Out 10 Erring Officers

In his avowed efforts to sanitize his command and reduce reoccurring cases of indiscipline, the Police Authorities in Lagos have dismissed 10 erring personnel for various criminal offenses. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, said that the move was a way to promote discipline and core values of policing in Lagos State.

According to the Police Command, it has tried eighty-one personnel for various criminal and disciplinary offences that were committed between October 2019 and October 2020, ranging from murder, discreditable conducts, excessive use of power, corrupt practices and negligence.

The command has also dismissed and prosecuted seven officers, while ten others personnel were dismissed. In addition, eighteen of the men were reduced in ranks and twenty-nine were awarded #10 naira major entries and warning letters accordingly. Others were awarded extra fatigue while sixteen of the men were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence.

All the personnel that were tried in the orderly room proceedings conducted at various locations in Lagos State, included forty-five Inspectors, twenty-nine Seargents and seven Corporals. Similarly, the command said some senior officers of the command have been queried for various disciplinary offences and the queries are currently being processed at the Force Headquarters Abuja for necessary action and punishments.

A statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, he noted that some some of the affected personnel were attached to Lagos State Police Command while others were serving at various police formations within Lagos State. Just as the trials were said to have been instituted based on series of complaints/allegations leveled against the officers.

Following the provisions of the Police Act and Regulations, punishments were said to have been awarded according to the magnitude of offences committed by police personnel.

This, SP Adejobi, said was deemed necessary by CP Odumosu, to inform the general public on the steps being taken by the command to sanitise its workforce in order to change the general perception that Lagos State Police Command and the entire police force, in particular, condone indiscipline and crimes.
The police boss reiterated that police personnel were held accountable for their actions and inactions. He appealed that the general public should report any misconduct of police personnel to appropriate authorities, as such would be treated accordingly and justice done.

CP Odumosu therefore charged officers and men of the command to be thorough and professional in their day-to-day activities, he assured them of reform and better standards in the police as being championed by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Muhammed Abubakar Adamu