On IGP’s order, police begin probe of ‘errant’ officers in Kogi

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State to immediately carry out discreet investigation into an incident depicted in a trending video from a location believed to be in Kogi.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, stated this in Abuja, yesterday.

The video showed a police officer slapping a passenger travelling in a commercial bus.

According to the man, who recorded the incident and shared it online, a group of police officers stopped the commercial bus to carry out a search. During their search, they found a laptop on a man who said he was a student and used the laptop for his assignments. The man claimed the officers did not believe the student and demanded N25,000 bribe.

The recorder claimed the officers took the student to a Point-of-Sale (PoS) operator and forced him to withdraw N25,000 and handed it over to them, as they refuse to accept cash transfer, probably to a void traces.

The man claimed that when one of the passengers frowned at the officer for corking his gun, the officer got angry and slapped him, threatening that blood will flow if they did not caution themselves.

“The IGP calls for calm, noting that at the end of the investigation, justice will be done to the victim of the incident and the police personnel found guilty brought to book,” Mba said.

IN the same vein, Kogi State Police Command has commenced investigation of the four police officers involved in the case.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), William Aya, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday.

He added: “The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State, Idrisu Dabban, while condemning the incident, noted that the police officers have been identified and detained at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID).

“The officers are: ASP Barnabas Isah, Insp. Godwin Ifediegwu, Sgt Emmanuel Ochima and Cpl. Mathias Umameh, who physically assaulted one of the travellers.”

The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), The Guardian gathered, has been issued an official query, while the three other junior officers are undergoing orderly room trial (police internal disciplinary actions).

Noting that the command was doing its best to establish contact with the victims, the CP enjoined the victims to reach out to the command, as he assured that any of the officers found wanting in the investigation would be dealt with accordingly.