IGP Redeploys Police Anti-Corruption Unit Officers, Withdraws Vehicles
LAGOS MARCH 15TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has allegedly redeployed several officers attached to the anti-corruption unit of the force.
Many of the vehicles provided for the unit were also withdrawn.
Investigations revealed that the firearms and ammunition being used by the squad had also been withdrawn.
The X-Squad is the Internal Affairs Section of the force established by the Police Act of 1943 to ‘police the police.’
The unit previously had 68 officers monitoring their colleagues in the course of official duties at checkpoints to prevent them from extorting money from motorists as well as carrying out extrajudicial killings.
Our correspondent learnt that the commissioner in charge of the squad, David Akinremi, had written a series of memos to the IG pleading with him to rejuvenate the unit with more men and materials, but sources said Adamu had yet to respond to the request.
Investigations by Sunday PUNCH revealed that the IG on assumption of office changed the operational arrangement by placing the X-Squad section in the State Criminal Investigation Department under the control of the state CPs.
This, it was learnt, incapacitated the unit in most state commands as the CPs had allegedly not been keen on investigating their subordinates involved in corruption.
But in a memo to the IG with reference CQ:2800/X-SQD/D.DEPT/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/ dated July 15, 2019, Akinremi urged the police boss to urgently return the X-Squad to its previous operational level so that it could once again instil discipline in the officers.
It read in part, “There is a need for the Inspector-General of Police to rejuvenate the X-Squad in response to increasing public outcry over reports of police brutality, criminal use of force and abuse of police powers by the police attached to special operations groups involved in special security arrangements.
“The recent re-organisation all but dissolved the X-Squad Section.
“In its stead, impunity and brutality have become the order of the day amongst police officers, further reducing public confidence and global rankings of the force.”
The CP pleaded with Adamu to grant the repossession of the operational vehicles, arms and ammunition retrieved from the squad as well as approve the mobilisation of additional manpower to strengthen the unit for better performance.
Akinremi further requested the procurement of the technical equipment approved and captured in the 2019 budget and for the squad to be placed under the IG for better supervision.
Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, said the IG had been working to reposition the squad, adding that more equipment and vehicles would be provided for the section for better performance.
Punch
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