They were dismissed and consequently charged to court on criminal charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, stealing, intimidation and threatening violence.
Christopher Oji
Four operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), attached to the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos, have been dismissed for armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, threat to life and other crimes.
The assistant inspector-general of police in charge of Zone 2 Command, AIG Adamu Ibrahim, who set up an orderly room trial for the dismissed operatives, has upheld the decision of the police disciplinary body that recommended their dismissal.
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The AIG said the policemen were dismissed and subsequently charged to court on offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, intimidation and threatening violence.
He said Mr. Chukwudi Godwin Odionye, aka Bishop, submitted a petition against the four on May
2, 2018, that, on June 24, 2017, he was in his house in Alagbado, Lagos, when the four armed policemen stormed his house to effect his arrest on the allegation of performing ‘fake’ miracles.
He stated that, after his arrest, he was taken to one hotel in Agege, where he was detained and threatened with death, if he failed to cooperate and part with some money.
The following day, June 25, he was taken to a bank, where he was made to transfer N7 million to one of the operative’s account.
On the receipt of the petition, the AIG ordered an investigation into the matter and it was revealed that no proper police procedure for investigation was followed in Odionye’s arrest and that the four SARS operatives actually abducted him from his house and unlawfully detained him in the hotel for personal gain.
The police men, Sgt. Adeoye Adekunle, Sgt. Adenira Adebowale, Sgt. Agbi Lucky and Sgt. Odighe Hehosa, were subsequently found guilty during the orderly room trial for professional misconduct, corrupt practices and discreditable conduct.
They were dismissed and consequently charged to court on criminal charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, stealing, intimidation and threatening violence.
The AIG warned that the police force would not tolerate any act of misconduct that undermines the values of international best practices of policing.