Two officers of the Lagos State Police Command caught engaging in gambling while on duty are currently facing disciplinary action that could lead to reduction in rank or outright dismissal, the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal said on Tuesday.
In a statement, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the attention of the Command was drawn to a video on social media, where the two officers were captured counting coupons which the eyewitness mistook for bribe collected from motorists.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police immediately ordered their arrest, detention and trail, while preliminary investigation revealed that the officers were not counting money but gambling coupons popularly known as Baba Ijebu.
The statement reads:
“The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to the news making the rounds on a social media platform called Instablog9ja that “Policemen stationed near Zenith Bank, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, seen counting bribes received and smoking.
“Based on the allegation, the CP Lagos ordered for their arrest, detention and trial. Meanwhile, preliminary investigation into the case revealed that the men weren’t counting bribes received as alleged but coupons they collected from a game of gambling they played a.k.a Baba Ijebu.
“The men are currently facing disciplinary action that could lead to reduction in rank or dismissal. It is wrong to engage in such distracting activity while on duty, “.
He said the Commissioner of Police also encouraged members of the public to always expose, albeit accurately, indiscipline and unprofessional policemen.