The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, has strongly warned all Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Lagos State 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 in a statement on Saturday consequently vowed to vicariously hold liable any supervisor or head of department under whose jurisdiction this directive is flouted.
He enjoined the general public to report sightings of any officer found on duty in mufti to enable the command to take appropriate disciplinary actions. As part of strategies to sanitize the Nigeria Police Force, authorities of the NPF have recently been taking measures and giving guidelines that will see officers carry out their duties professionally without infringing on the rights of the citizens. One of such directives in recent times is that police personnel who demand permits for tinted glasses at checkpoints in any part of the country should be reported.
The Force through its spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that the only action the officers at the checkpoint can carry out on cars with tinted glasses is a stop only for the purpose of a search.
