Lagos CP Redeploys DPO, Others Over Citizens’ Harassment

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has redeployed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Onipanu Division, Francis Ani, and other officers over unprofessional conduct.

The redeployment was decided on Wednesday, the Lagos police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement.

The police chief’s action came on the heels of the arrest and detention of a Lagos resident, Mr. Tunde Abass, for filming police harassment of a driver in Lagos.

The incident took place at Onipanu on March 19.

Adejobi said the DPO has been redeployed to the State Command Headquarters.

Under the watch of Ani, Abass was detained and brutalised, after an attempt to charge him to court failed.

Disclosing the response of the Commissioner of Police on Thursday, Adejobi said he has “ordered an immediate redeployment of CSP Francis Ani, the Divisional Police Officer, Onipanu Division of the Lagos State Police Command and some of his boys.”

The police spokesperson said they were redeployed for the harassment and illegal detention of Tunde Abass and Kabir Mohammed (the driver who was harassed).

“Tunde Abass was arrested by the police at Onipanu Division for recording the harassment and forceful arrest of Kabir Mohammed at Onipanu Area of the State on Friday 19th March, 2021 at about 5pm after Tunde’s intervention in the case, which did not go well with the policemen.

“The police boss took the (redeployment) decision on Wednesday, 24th March, 2021, after he perused the report of the investigation into the incident that had gone viral on the gross violation of Tunde’s human rights by the DPO and his boys,” the statement said.

The Commissioner condemned the unprofessionalism and excessive use of power by the police officers.

Adejobi added that the action taken will serve as a deterrent to other police officers who are fond of harassing, extorting and engaging in acts of lawlessness, unprofessionalism and gross violation of people’s human rights in the state.

CP Odumosu has also ordered that the affected police officers be tried in an orderly room trial for unprofessional conduct, the statement added.