A
police sergeant, Daniel Osaimayu, has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police
Force for allegedly collecting N50,000 bribe from motorists in the Oshodi area
of Lagos State.
It
was gathered that Osaimayu, who was attached to the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental
and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, Alausa, was arrested on Monday by the
X-Squad of the Lagos State Police Command.
It
was gathered that the X-Squad operatives had arrested a hoodlum in the area and
found the cash on him.
The
hoodlum, however, fingered the police sergeant, who was posted to the area, as
his accomplice.
The
state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the dismissal on
Wednesday, said four other policemen were dismissed for extortion and improper
dressing.
Other
four dismissed policemen were Samuel Ando, Michael Adeoya, Richard Ugwu and
Sulaiman Muhammed.
It
was learnt that Adeoya was dismissed for allegedly wearing flip-flops while on
duty, while Muhammed was dismissed for allegedly not wearing police uniform
while on duty.
Speaking
while being paraded, Osaimayu, who was dismissed for bribe, said the money was
received from motorists in the area and kept with the hoodlum.
The
ex-policeman, who denied that the money was collected in his name, begged the
CP to reverse the dismissal as he had no means to feed his family.
He
said, “I was at my duty post on Monday in the Oshodi area when the X-Squad
operatives came to arrest me. It was around 10am. A hoodlum had earlier been
arrested and searched, and the money was found on him. The suspect confessed it
was the money obtained from motorists and he said I authorised him to do it.
“I
did not know he collected any money on my behalf. I was whisked off to the command
headquarters, Ikeja. They searched me, but no money was found on me. The CP
should reconsider me. I have family members to cater to.”
Adeoya,
who was arrested for wearing flip-flops, denied that he was on duty at that
time, adding that he went to the Mile 12 Market to buy food supplements for his
fowls.
He
said, “I boarded a tricycle to the Mile 12 area. As I alighted, the X-Squad
officials swooped on me and said I was improperly dressed. But I was not on
duty. I worked as a guard to a chairman of a political party in the Kosofe
area.
“As
of the time of my arrest, I was going to the market to buy food supplements for
my fowls. I rear fowls in my house. I was surprised that I was arrested. After
I was interrogated, they said I would be tried for improper dressing. There is
nobody to feed my fowls. They would have all died by now.”
Another
suspect, Muhammed, who was attached to the Idimu Police Division, while
pleading for mercy, said he had a health challenge and was going to treat
himself when he was arrested.
He
said, “I was on night duty at a politician’s house in Idimu. I had an asthmatic
attack and I was going to get my inhaler. Someone gave me a ride to Idimu. I
was going to the police station when they arrested me for improper dressing. I
am not into extortion. I was dealing with my health challenge.”
Owoseni
said the Nigeria Police Force was a professional organisation which would not
condone any act of indiscipline.
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