Police boss warns state SARS against extortion, misconduct

The Commissioner of Police, Kwara Command, Mr Lawan Ado, has warned officers and operatives of the state Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) against misconduct or risk dismissal.

Ado gave the warning while addressing journalists on the outcome of his meeting with the officers at the Police Headquarters, Ilorin on Thursday.

He said the warning was consequent upon different misconducts attributed to the outfit in recent times, adding that the development had brought some disrepute to the image of the command.

According to Ado, the allegations which include extortion, checking of telephone sets of citizens, laptops and labelling every young man seen in a car as yahoo boy, should stop forthwith.

He also said drunkenness, especially while on duty, is an offence stressing that he would not hesitate to wield the big stick on any officer whose actions or inaction would drag the name of the police in the mud.

Ado reiterated the directive of Inspector- General of Police banning road blocks on the high ways and stressed that any police officer caught in such act would be severely dealt with.

“They should be assured of our support and protection of the police authority at all times, and we will do everything within our power to make their work easy.

“They have to be civil in all their dealings with the members of the public because the officers are not in any way different from other policemen.

“As such, they must at all times abide by their rules of engagement and dress code and must neatly turn out as they are not immune against sanctions,

“‘They have to be reminded that a male police searching a female suspect is a misnomer.

‘’Searching of telephone set belonging to accosted citizens by SARS operatives, escorting suspects to the ATM machine to collect money, or forcing suspect to make electronic money transfer is robbery.

”Any officer arrested doing any of the above will be dismissed and charged to court,” Ado said.

He, however, advised the people in state to continue to support the team and volunteer information to enable the police discharge their responsibility adequately.