Lagos Commissioner of Police Suspends DPO For Illegal Raiding, Bribery

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has suspended the Divisional Police Officer, Pen Cinema Police Division, Harrison Nwabuisi.Nwabuisi, a Superintendent of Police, was alleged to have led his men to raid Alimi Ogunyemi Street, among other places, in the Ifako Ijaiye area of the state on Wednesday.

Some Muslim faithful, who had just finished prayers around 8pm in a mosque, were alleged to have been picked up by the policemen in front of the mosque.

Our correspondent reported that about 37 residents were arrested and taken to the Pen Cinema Police Station.

One of the victims, Sheriff Anjure, said his brother, Ibrahim, paid N30,000 for his bail and that of two others.

Ibrahim also accused the DPO of being in the habit of extorting money from residents.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, in a statement on Friday, said the DPO had been suspended.

He noted that the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, DCP Yetunde Longe, had been asked to investigate the allegations against the police officer.

He said, “Sequel to the allegations, the CP has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, DCP Yetunde Longe, to investigate the officer and other ranks against whom the allegation was made. He equally directed the DCP in charge of Administration, Elkanah Ayuba, to recall the DPO to the command headquarters to allow unbiased investigation into the matter.

“The command is therefore appealing to Mr Sheriff Anjure, said to be a vital witness and indeed other witnesses in the matter, to make themselves available to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, to assist police investigation.

“While recognising the fact that raiding is a major crime-fighting strategy of the police given that it enables proactive intervention into a budding problem, the CP, however, said that it must be purposeful, corruption-free and intelligence-driven.

“He therefore assures members of the public that if the allegation is true, any officer or men found culpable in the matter would be sanctioned in accordance with the relevant sections of the Police Act.”

Ibrahim, when contacted by our correspondent on the development, said all witnesses in the case would make themselves available when needed.