Police Sack Four SARS Operatives For Robbery, Kidnapping

The Nigeria police have sacked four operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria and arraigned them in court over cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, intimidation and threatening of violence.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 2 Command, AIG, Adamu Ibrahim upheld the recommendation of the Police Disciplinary body that recommended dismissal of four policemen.

Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2 Command, Dolapo Badmos, said the four policemen were dismissed and subsequently charged to court on offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, intimidation and threatening violence being the report of the investigation carried out against them when one Mr Chukwudi Godwin Odionye, popularly referred to as ‘Bishop’ submitted a petition against the four on 2 May, 2018.

“The petitioner in his petition stated that on the 4th of June 2017, he was in his house around Alagbado, Lagos when the four armed men 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 to be killed if he failed to cooperate.

“He explained further that on the following day, 5th June 2017, he was taken to a bank where he was made to transfer seven million Naira to one of the operative’s account. On the receipt of the petition, the AIG ordered Investigation into the case.

“On the strength of investigation, it was revealed that no proper police procedure for investigation was followed in Mr Chukwudi’s arrest and that the four SARS operatives actually abducted the man from his house and unlawfully detained him in the hotel under the guard of the suspects for personal gain,” Badmos said in a statement.

The suspected SARS officers are: Sgt Adeoye Adekunle, Sgt Adenira Adebowale, Sgt Agbi Lucky and Sgt Odighe Hehosa.

According to Badmos, the officers were subsequently found guilty during the orderly room trial for professional misconduct, corrupt practices and discreditable conduct and were dismissed and consequently charged to court on criminal charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, stealing, intimidation and threatening violence.

Badmos, while parading the suspects reiterated the AIG’s directive that the force would not tolerate any act of misconduct that undermined the value of international best practices of policing, as she stated further that any police officer or men found guilty would not be spared.