AKINSINDE TUNDE EMMANUEL
The Divisional Police Officers serving in Lagos State Command have been thrown into panic mood following the removal of DPO, Okokomaiko Division CSP Emmanuel Edebagha, over alleged bribe scandal involving his junior officers at the station.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, removed Edebagha for failing to supervise his junior officers properly over the bribery scandal committed by the officers.
The sack came after some Police officers in the Division allegedly forcefully extorted N101,000 from a phone dealer in Lagos State by falsely labeling him a fraudster and intimidating him. The victim reportedly raised alarm and the information got to the CP, who acted swiftly by removing Edebagha and replacing him with another DPO with immediate effect.
The CP also ordered the arrest of the officers in question for investigation over the conduct of the DPO and the officers involved in the bribery scandal that seemed to have dented the image of the Police.
This was disclosed by the State Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin,m.
He stated: “The CP Owohunwa ordered the immediate removal of the DPO and initiated disciplinary action against him and all officers implicated in the incident”.
Hundeyin said that, “CP Idowu Owohunwa has ordered the immediate removal of DPO Okokomaiko for his lack of supervision of his men”.
However, the decision has thrown almost all DPOs in various Divisions into panic modebecause the wrong doing of any junior officers means their sack as DPO.
The DPOs have now realized that their job may be on the line with the latest decision of the CP and have resolved not to be giving much chances to the junior officers in order not to put them in trouble and lose their position as DPO.
Some of the officers, who spoke to P.M.EXPRESS on condition of anonymity at some Divisions, stated that the DPOs are no longer taking the conduct of the junior officers for granted because of the lack of supervision mantra against DPOs by the Police boss over any offence committed by junior officers.
They now prefer to be in charge of any matter brought to the station and would not take any chances because some junior officers, do not have the professional skills to handle some cases, may easily compromise and the blame will be shifted to the DPO.
“We are no longer taking chances with the latest trends of lack of supervision and we have to be in charge to avoid these rank and file to embarrass us as DPO” one of the officers stated.