The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abiodun Alabi, has reiterated the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) ban on the practice of police officers carrying out their official duties while on mufti and called on members of the public to report any officer violating this directive to enable the command take appropriate disciplinary action.
The commissioner strongly and unequivocally warned all Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPO) in the Lagos State to ensure strict compliance of this directive by their men.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Benjamin Hundyin, on Saturday, March 26, and can be seen on the Lagos Police Command’s official Twitter account.
The command in the statement said that the warning is in compliance with the earlier directive by the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, that officers on patrol and stop-and-search duties must appear in approved uniforms.
What the Lagos Police Command Spokesman is saying
Alabi in the statement said that the command would hold liable any supervisor or head of the department under whose jurisdiction this directive would be flouted.
The statement from the command reads, ‘’The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, has strongly and unequivocally warned all Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Lagos to strictly ensure that their men do not carry out police duties in mufti.
‘’This warning is in compliance with the earlier directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, that officers on patrol and stop-and-search duties must appear in approved uniforms.
‘’CP Alabi has consequently vowed to vicariously hold liable any supervisor or Head of Department under whose jurisdiction this directive is flouted. The general public is hereby enjoined to report sightings of any officer found on duty in mufti to enable the command take appropriate disciplinary actions.’’
What you should know
- The men of the Nigeria Police have been under intense scrutiny in recent times over the conduct of some of their officers and police brutality.
- Recall that on March 12, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, was reported to have warned police officers against the use of mufti and unauthorised outfits while on duty.
