Police dismiss three SARS officers for undue harassment

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it had dismissed three policemen for acts of indiscipline and undue harassment of a citizen, which left him hospitalised.


Inspector Sulaiman Momoh with service number 220957, Sergeant Emmanuel Monday – 429659 and Sergeant Adamu Usman – 434246 were tried in an orderly room and were found guilty as charged. An online news on Instagram with the caption “A yet-to-be-identified man has allegedly been shot by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Chinese town, Ojota, Lagos” went viral last Friday.

Based on the report, Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal, immediately activated the Command X-Squad section in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officer, Ogudu Division, Gbenga Olorunfemi, to fish out the policemen involved in matter.

Their findings revealed that the victim, Temitope Solomon Ademuwagun was not shot by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) as reported by the online media but suffered from the inhalation of tear-gas spray a.k.a pepper spray occasioned by a neighbourhood police patrol team attached to Area-H- Command, Ogudu, Lagos. The patrol team was led by Inspector Momoh assisted by Sergeant Monday. The victim had been revived.

However, the investigating team arrested and detained the officers involved.

A statement by police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) said the trio’s dismissal proceeding has been forwarded to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone II for approval.

Oti said this brought to eight the total number of officers dismissed in recent time.

He said: “Similarly the Command wishes to use this medium to release its half year disciplinary record for the period spanning from January to June. The officers were tried in a properly constituted orderly room and were found guilty of various offences against discipline which earned them appropriate punishments depending on the charges against them.

“Below is the breakdown of types of punishment awarded to deserving officers: dismissal – eight, reduction in rank – four, major entry – 43, severe reprimand – three, extra fatigue – four, warning notice – 28 and cases of discharged and acquitted – five, totalling 92.

“The Commissioner of Police said this would serve as a deterrent to other policemen wishing to toe the path of infamy, that the Nigeria Police under the watch of the Inspector-General of Police, have no room for them.

He warned all serving police officers to be professional at all times in the discharge of their duties and shun corrupt practices.”

There is currently a trending campaign on social media - #EndSars calling on the government to reform the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).