Lagos, Rivers, FCT Top Cases Of Police Misconduct In Q3
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday released its third Quarter report with Lagos, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory emerging tops with cases of extorting members of the public.
In all, a total number of 764 complaints were recorded in the quarter with Lagos State Command topping the table with 180 or 23.56 per cent and closely followed by Rivers State with 102 or equivalent of 13.35 per cent while FCT-Abuja recorded 87 representing 11.39 per cent.
However, Sokoto and Plateau State Commands recorded no complaint during the period under review.
A statement by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), Abayomi Shogunle said the feat recorded by the Unit was part of the implementation of “Change Begins with Me” campaign of the Federal Government and the desire of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim K. Idris in bringing an end to impunity,
The PCRRU said it recovered and returned a total of Eight hundred and thirty-four thousand naira (N834,000,000) extorted money to members of the public during the 3rd Quarter of 2017 (July – September).
Part of the money recovered include ₦100,000 extorted from a woman in Kano State who got her money returned to her after she contacted the PCRRU.
ACP Shogunle also announced that 16 police officers were sanctioned for various acts of professional misconduct during the period under review.
Shogunle said in the same vein, the Police Service Commission (PSC), approved the suspension from service of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bayo Obadiah attached to Area Command Ikorodu, Lagos over corrupt practices.
The Police also said that as a result of targeted campaigns across the country two terror suspects were apprehended following the PCRRU face-to-face confidence building with citizens in Akoko Area of Ondo State.
The PCRRU said that in all, phone call was the most preferred channel of lodging complaints by member of the public with 447 (58.5), while WhatsApp recorded 203 (26.57), Twitter 19 (2.49), Facebook 6 (0.71), SMS 3 (0.39), BBM 1 (0.13) and others (Written Petition, Media Publications etc.) 29 (3.80).
Shogunle said several sensitization campaigns were carried out in selected states while Helicopter airdrops were carried out in Kano and Kaduna States.
He further said; “Face-to-face dissemination were carried out in Borno and Ondo States by PCRRU agents most of which was achievable with the collaboration and support received from our partners which has provided for a notable increase in rate of engagement between PCRRU and members of the public in Q3 2017 (i.e. July – September) than in the same period in 2016.”
Oshogunle said efforts are ongoing to upgrade the PCRRU Call Centre so as to improve the efficiency of the unit, adding that members of the public should remember at all times that bail is free.
