DPO queried over poor supervision of his men

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has ordered that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Lion Building division, Lagos Island, be queried for alleged lax supervision of his men. Similarly, three yet-to-be-identified policemen attached to the division may be dismissed if found guilty of professional misconduct. The DPO, a Chief Superintendent […]

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has ordered that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Lion Building division, Lagos Island, be queried for alleged lax supervision of his men.

Similarly, three yet-to-be-identified policemen attached to the division may be dismissed if found guilty of professional misconduct.

The DPO, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), attracted the wrath of the Lagos State police boss after a video of some policemen attached to the Lion Building assaulting one Barrister Olakunle Kareem went viral on the social media.

A statement by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, disclosed that Edgal ordered a full scale investigation into the matter as soon as the video went viral.

Oti, also a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said that the police officers seen in the video assaulting the young lawyer while demanding for his salary from his boys were not from the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) as alleged but were from Lion Building.

He said that investigation into the case, as directed by Edgal, revealed that the managing partner of the chambers of Olawore & Co of No 28/30 Macarthy Street, Lagos Island, Barrister Oluyomi Olawore, invited the police officers seen in the video.

According to him, Barrister Olawore, on the day of the incident, sent a distress call to the police through one of his junior partners requesting that he be rescued from another junior partner, Barrister Olakunle Kareem, whom he alleged was about to use an unlawful force on him after disconnecting the firm’s CCTV cameras and locking up all doors leading into the firm, holding him hostage inside his office.

Oti said, “It was based on the complaint that the DPO in charge of Lion Building dispatched policemen to the troubled chamber to invite the feuding lawyers for interrogation. However, the Commissioner of Police observed with dismay that the policemen sent to the scene were not at their professional best.

“He has, therefore, ordered that the policemen, who had been arrested, be tried on oath. They risk stiff punishments for their actions. The CP also directed that the DPO be queried for lack of supervision.”

The Lagos police spokesman added that Edgal had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, Mrs Yetunde Longe, to investigate the matter concerning the two lawyers with a view to diligently prosecuting both or anyone of them found wanting.