DISMISSED POLICEMEN ARRESTED FOR IMPERSONATION

Folake Sokoya

The police operatives attached to the X-Squad Department of the Zone 2 Command, Onikan Lagos, have arrested two dismissed members of the Nigeria Police Force for impersonation and using police uniform/accoutrements to harass and extort innocent Nigerians and drive commercial vehicles in police uniform at various locations within Lagos State recently.

The arrest was in connection with the moves by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, AIG Abdilmajid Ali, to bring sanity to police activities in the command and make sure that the image of the Nigeria Police is protected.

It will be recalled that the police boss, on assumption of duty in Lagos on August 1,2016, had vowed  to sustain his fight against unethical, inappropriate and illegal conducts of police personnel within his command and promote the Inspector’s-General of  Police principles of modern and conventional policing in Nigeria.

Based on the directive of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Zone 2, the X-Squad operatives, who were on routine patrol within Lagos State, led by SP Akinyide Alabi, arrested one Joseph Okoya at Abule Ado Bus Stop, along Badagry Expressway, while driving a commercial bus with Reg.No. XC 755 LSR in police uniform on Saturday. He confessed to have been dismissed from the force since 2010.

Also, the same team arrested one Yohanna Bitrus on Sunday at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, putting on complete Mobile Police uniform, while performing illegal police duties. Police investigation so far reveals that he had been dismissed since 2015 for disciplinary offenses.

Items recovered from them included police uniforms, police accountriments, police ID cards, piles of petitions and statement forms, letter heads, and some other incriminating documents.

The suspects, who have confessed to using police uniform to perpetrate many illegal acts, have been charged to Igbosere Magistrate Court Lagos for Impersonation and unlawful possession of Police accoutrements.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police,Zone 2,Lagos,AIG Ali has therefore, advised the general public to be wary of unscrupulous elements like these suspects who have been denting the image of the force and engaging in criminal acts in the society. AIG Ali also wishes to urge the general public to always expose illegal activities of police personnel they notice or come in contact with as all hands must be on deck to build a well-deserved and people-oriented police in Nigeria.