THE Lagos State Police Command has denied reports thay its operatives detained a Magistrate who was on prison inspection.
A senior police officer in charge of Area D Command Headquarters at Mushin, Lagos State, Aliko Dankoli, was reported to have, on May 30, ordered the detention of a female Magistrate who visited on a routine check of suspects in the cell based on the Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS).
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Public Relations Officer of the Command Benjamin Hundeyin described the reports as fiction. He said at no time did the Area Commander detain the Magistrate.
The PPRO said the police will never disrespect to the judiciary.
“The Command wishes to state clearly that the story is nothing but fiction. At no time did the Area Commander detain or attempt to detain the Magistrate, who was at the Area Command for Cell Inspection exercise. The police will never engage in such disrespect to the judiciary.
“The Lagos State Police Command enjoins Lagosians to disregard the story as officers and men under the stewardship of CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc will continue to be professional and uphold the rule of law at all times, ” the statement said.
Hundeyin, in a series of tweets, faulted the report and claimed the police contacted the judiciary, which confirmed nothing of such happened.
RE: HOW AREA COMMANDER LOCKED UP LAGOS MAGISTRATE INSIDE CELL AT AREA D COMMAND
The Lagos State Police Command is aware of a June 02, 2022 news story by one Michael Akintola of PM Express titled ‘How Area Commander Locked Up Lagos Magistrate Inside Cell at Area D Command.’ pic.twitter.com/HJ2F86vJju
— Lagos State Police Command (@LagosPoliceNG) June 2, 2022
“It is equally suspicious that the writer did not attempt to contact the judiciary to verify the purported detention. The Lagos State Police Command did the needful and contacted the judiciary. The Lagos State Judiciary confirmed that there was no such thing,” he added.
Dankoli, according to reports, ordered the detention the Magistrate, who was not identified, when she came to decongest the cell, in line with the Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS).
The PDSS was established to address the crisis of irrational and interminable pre-trial detention in Nigeria.
Dankoli was reportedly having a meeting with the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) within the Area D Command when he received information that the Magistrate had come to the Command on a routine check of the cells, said to be jam-packed with suspects.
He was said to have become angry as he got up and ordered the arrest of the Magistrate and ordered her detention inside the cell to the surprise of the senior police officers, including his Second-in-Command, who was said to be aware of the visit of the Magistrate to the Command.
This led to serious confusion at the Area Command.
According to reports, it took the intervention of the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, before the Magistrate could be released and allowed to go home.
Dankoli resumed duty at the Area D Command, Mushin, in May 2019.
A reporter with the ICIR
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