The Police Command in Lagos State has debunked media reports alleging that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, defied a court order relating to the Nestoil premises.
The command described the reports as completely false, misleading, and aimed at damaging the integrity of the command.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement to newsmen on Sunday.
She said that the publication and a related television interview titled “Lagos commissioner defiles court order on Nestoil premises” misrepresented the facts.
The spokesperson said that the reports sought to cast aspersions on the neutrality of the police in the matter involving Nestoil.
According to her, the police received the court order at 5:50 p.m. on Thursday.
“The order was immediately forwarded to the Police Legal Department for authentication.
“Confirmation from the issuing court was received on the evening of Friday, after which all police personnel stationed at the premises were withdrawn without delay, in full compliance with judicial directives.
“The command expresses surprise that despite adhering strictly to the court order, some media reports still claimed that CP Jimoh had acted in defiance of the law,” she said.
The command consequently states that the CP did not visit the Nestoil premises on either Thursday or Friday and had no involvement beyond ensuring that officers provided standard protection to court officials enforcing the order.
“The police have no power to seal any premises, including that of Nestoil; their role is limited to protecting court sheriffs and maintaining law and order during enforcement procedures,” she said.
The command urged those involved in spreading false information to focus on their court proceedings rather than seeking to drag the police into controversy.
She said that the CP calls on the public to disregard the report in its entirety, labelling it as falsehood.
Meanwhile, the command reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law and obedience to court orders.
