LAGOS POLICE COMMAND DISMISSES SERGEANT OVER N98,000 EXTORTION

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

On Wednesday, the Lagos State police command announced the dismissal of one Police officer, identified as Sgt. Ekpo Shimuyere, over extortion of N98,000 from a young man’s bank account.

The officer who was attached to the Sogunle Division had reportedly taken his victim’s phone and transferred the amount from the N100,00 in the young man’s account.

This act, according to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, has made the provost department to disrobe and dismiss the sergeant immediately.

While speaking to journalist, he said, “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, Mr Idowu Owohunwa, have reviewed the orderly room procedure of the officer with Force No. 461654, attached to Sogunle Police Division and has approved the punishment of dismissal from the Force,” he said.

According to him, the dismissed sergeant collected his victim’s phone and used a POS operator to transfer N98,000 out of the N100,000 in the young man’s bank account.

Mr Hundeyin said the policeman’s action contradicted the profession’s ethics.

He said the officer initially denied the offence and was detained after the victim laid a complaint.

“We wrote to his bank and obtained his statement of account. We were able to trace the money to where the POS operator transferred it before transferring the money to the officer’s account.

“We followed due process to get his account. The victim was invited in the course of the investigation, and he testified.

“The POS operator was also invited, and he said the officer requested him to transfer the money from the victim’s account to another one,” Mr Hudenyi added.

Mr Hundeyin said the sergeant was consequently subjected to Orderly Room trial in line with extant laws.

The police spokesperson said the commissioner warned officers and men against corruption, stressing that the dismissal was to serve as a deterrent to others.

He further warned that the command would continue to punish any police officer found to have engaged in unprofessional conduct.