POS operators enabling extortion by corrupt police officers – Lagos Command

Lagos State Police Command has read the riot act to those enabling extortion among its officers, as it vowed to treat them as accomplices.

Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed this via his official Twitter handle (@benhundeyin), Saturday, said some Point of Sale (POS) operators have been identified to be enablers of extortion among the police operatives in the state.

According to him, ‘some roving POS operators specialize in hanging around police stations… as their target customers are innocent Nigerians being extorted by some recalcitrant police officers.’

The police spokesperson, therefore, warned that in checking extortion committed by officers in the state, the command has moved to check the activities of some POS operators, further adding that ‘anyone found to have knowingly enabled extortion will be treated as an accomplice.’

“It has been observed over time that some roving POS operators specialize in hanging around police stations. Investigations reveal that their target customers are innocent Nigerians being extorted by some recalcitrant police officers.

“Their presence around the stations has made the extortion game a lot easier. While the Force continually purges itself of these bad officers, it has become imperative that the activities of POS operators around police stations be regulated.

“This is also as some of them have been identified to be enablers of extortion. This regulation is in line with our mandate of not just detecting but also preventing crime. To this end, anyone found to have knowingly enabled extortion will be treated as an accomplice,” Hundeyin said.

Meanwhile, the police command spokesperson also warned Lagos residents to be mindful of fellow commuters when boarding commercial vehicles.

Hundeyin who narrated an incident of a female commuter who was robbed and pushed out of a moving car by the robbers, said the police have arrested some of the suspects involved in the incident, while also adding that one of them died while in custody.

“Beware out there. One Loveth (surname withheld) boarded a car, with registration number MUS 423 AF, already having four men on-board at Bolade, Oshodi. She was robbed of all her belongings and pushed out of the car. A nearby patrol team gave chase.

“The men abandoned their vehicle and fled. Two were arrested and the vehicle recovered. One of the suspects complained of shortage of breadth resulting from the chase and was taken by the officers to hospital where he was treated and referred elsewhere for lack of bed space.

“He died on the way. The other suspect, Akuku Tony is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation. Stay safe out there, folks,” the Lagos Police Command’s Public relations Officer disclosed.