Lagos CP orders arrest of policemen who assaulted motorist over wearing of glasses
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has vowed to take disciplinary action against some cops over their alleged involvement in the assault of a motorist and seizure of his Artificial Intelligence glasses.
In a viral video on Friday, one of the officers on mufti and police vest, while asking for motorists’ papers could be seen slapping a motorist, forcefully attempting to remove his glasses, and asking him why he was taking videos of the police with it.
Condemning the cops’ action during stop-and-search operation, the command, in a statement on Saturday, said the errant officers had been identified and Mr Jimoh ordered that the squad be restructured.
The command in the statement said, “We strongly condemn the actions of some officers captured in a viral video attempting to forcibly remove a pair of glasses from a motorist during a stop-and-search operation and further assaulting him. The officers involved have been identified as personnel attached to the Lagos State Police Command.
“The commissioner of police in charge of the Lagos State command has been contacted and has swiftly acted appropriately to ensure that the officers face commensurate disciplinary actions. He has equally ordered for the restructuring of the squad involved. The Nigeria Police Force assures the public that this isolated incident does not represent the standards of professionalism expected of police personnel.”
The command added that the leadership of the police stood on its commitment to identifying and sanctioning the few errant officers whose actions embarrass dedicated, hardworking and responsible personnel of the Force.
The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said in a statement on Friday that the police commissioner, after an investigation, ordered the detention of the officers to face an orderly room trial.
Mr Hundeyin said the police commissioner, after a thorough preliminary investigation, “ordered the immediate detention of the entire team. The officers will face an orderly room trial in line with established disciplinary procedures to ensure justice is served swiftly and transparently. In addition, the entire tactical squad implicated in this matter has been dissolved with immediate effect. A new tactical squad has been constituted, comprising officers who will adhere strictly to international best practices in policing.’’
