Olusegun Ariyo
The Police Service Commission (PSC), has taken a bold step in demanding accountability within the police force.
The Commission has therefore written to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, requesting a thorough investigation into the activities of certain officers in Zone 7.
At the center of the investigation were the officers in charge of the Legal Unit and the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations.
They were accused of abuse of office, extortion, and gross misconduct, which were contrary to the rules of engagement and conduct of police officers.
Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd, in a letter to IGP, stressed that the investigation was necessary to purge the police of meddling into civil matters.
A statement by Head of press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, stated that the move was in line with the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that the police operate within the bounds of the law.
The investigation, he said, was prompted by a complaint from Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya, who alleged that the officers in question were involved in the demolition of his residential property.
The property, located at No 75 Lome Crescent, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja, has been the subject of a dispute in court.
According to Argungu, the officer’s actions were not only unjust but also illegal, stating that the petitioner was arrested and forced to pay N1 million for his bail.
“Furthermore, the enforcement unit of the High Court took N700,000 from the petitioner under false pretences,” Argungu further alleged in the letter.
He said the petitioner was seeking justice and demanding that the officers be investigated and sanctioned accordingly.
The Chairman said the petitioner was also seeking compensation of N1 billion for the actions of the police.
The Police Service Commission said its move to demand an investigation into the allegations was a step in the right direction.
“It demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that the police operate with integrity and accountability,” Ani said.
The Chairman added that the petitioner’s prayers included “having been rendered homeless as a result of the act of the Officers-in-Charge of Legal Unit and the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations, who are the major culprits of this heinous act, that the duo should be investigated and appropriate sanctions meted on them, as well as the payment of N1 billion for the action of the police as compensation.”
