Lagos CP orders Dismissal of DPO over extortion

Due to suspected extortion, Lagos State Police Commissioner Idowu Owohunwa has ordered the Divisional Police Officer of the Meiran Police Station to be removed.

Ibrahim Saliu, an engineer, earlier told PUNCH Metro that he was extorted N200,000 on Saturday by certain police officers from the Meiran Police Station in Lagos State.

Saliu claims that he and his brother were threatened with jail time by the officers and the DPO of the station if they did not produce the receipts for the phones that were observed with Saliu’s brother.

He said, “The DPO took the iPhones, removed the warranty stickers, and declared that my brother and I are thieves and armed robbers.

“The next thing I heard was the DPO giving them an order to detain us and that we would be locked up for stealing and armed robbery. We were surprised that we started begging.”

Saliu revealed that he was requested to pay N500,000 in order to ensure their release. They consented to N200,000, which the authorities ordered to be paid in cash.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said in a tweet on Wednesday that the CP Lagos has mandated the DPO of the Meiran Police Station be removed immediately verifying the occurrence.

Hundeyin wrote, “CP Idowu Owohunwa has ordered the immediate removal of DPO Meiran for leadership dereliction and supervisory ineptitude.

“Meanwhile, all the officers involved have been identified and are currently at the Command headquarters where their orderly room trial has commenced.”