The Nigeria Police Force said on Monday said that it had dismissed three policemen attached to Area ‘N’ Command, Ijede-Ikorodu, under the Lagos State Command.
The affected officers are AP.No 136005 Insp. Okelue Nkemeonye, F/No. 355897 Sgt. Braimoh Sunday and F/No. 359928 Sgt. Yusuf Olukoga.
The Head, Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), ACP Abayomi Shogunle, made this known in a statement in Abuja.
He said the dismissal followed an Orderly Room trial at the Zone Two Command Headquarters, Onikan-Yaba, Lagos.
Shogunle explained that the men were found guilty of two offences bordering on Corrupt Practices and Discreditable Conduct as contained in the First Schedule of Police Act and Regulations Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
He said that upon the receipt of the complaint on June 21, the unit dispatched its team to Ikorodu where the three policemen, including AP No. 98199 ASP Bayo Obadia, who led the team were apprehended.
Shogunle said that preliminary investigation revealed that all the allegations contained in the WhatsApp message actually happened.
According to him, the four armed police officers falsely paraded themselves as operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
He said that investigation also showed that the officers extorted a total sum of N200, 000 from the young men whom they tagged “Yahoo Yahoo Boys”.
The unit head said that the money was forced from them via ATM withdrawal (N90,000) and mobile bank money transfer (N110,000), to a third party account provided by the policemen.
“All the arrested officers, witnesses and recovered exhibits including the N200, 000 cash and printed bank statement of account were handed over to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Lagos, for further detailed investigation and necessary disciplinary measures.
“The approval of the punishment of dismissal from service as recommended by the Adjudicating officer is part of the outcome of the disciplinary measures.”
He said that by the AIG Zone 2, Lagos, had issued an official query to Obadiah who led the team.
He said that the query and his reply and had been forwarded to the office of the Force Secretary, Force Headquarters, Abuja, from where it would be sent to the Police Service Commission as required by Police Regulations.
Shogunle further said that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, said all allegations of professional misconduct reported against any police officer would be treated in line with the relevant laws.
He enjoined members of the public to report cases of police misconduct to the PCRRU for resolution, adding that the Idris-led administration was bent on ensuring a corruption-free Police in Nigeria.
On June 20, the police also dismissed two traffic wardens attached to the Wuse Police Division for extorting money from a motorist in Abuja.