… Begin clamping down on cultists in Lagos State***

Police have arrested and detained four of its personnel in Kogi over alleged extortion of N25,000 from a traveller and physical assault on another in a trending video.

Commissioner of Police, Idrisu Dauda Dabban, disclosed this in a statement signed by the police command’s image maker, DSP William Aya, on Sunday in Lokoja.

Dabban said the command had also launched investigation into the viral video allegations against the police personnel attached to Adogo Division.

According to the statement, they were alleged to have extorted N25,000 from a traveller and physically assaulted another while on patrol duty along Adogo-Okene road.

The commissioner, who condemned the incident, said that the police officers had been identified and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department.

According to him, they are ASP Isah Barnabas, Insp Ifediegwu Godwin, Sgt. Emmanuel Ochima and Cpl. Umameh Mathias who was alleged to have physically assaulted one of the travellers.

He said that ASP Barnabas had been issued an official query while the three junior officers were currently undergoing Orderly Room Trial (Police internal disciplinary action).

The police commissioner noted that the Command was doing its best to establish contact with the victims and enjoined them (victims) to reach out to the Command through telephone number: 08107899269.

Dabban assured that any of the officers found wanting in the investigation would be dealt with accordingly.

In the meantime,  police in Lagos State said on Sunday that they were clamping down on cultists in Ikorodu and other parts of the state.

Police spokesman in the state, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said this in reaction to allegation of police illegal detention of some students of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu Campus, over alleged cultism.

He told the newsmen that the allegation against the police was baseless and unfounded.

“The clampdown is in the interest of public peace following recent activities of cultists in the area.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, in his determination to rid the state of cultists and other criminals, directed regular raids of hideouts used by cultists, some of who are students.

“Some students have been arrested for cult-related activities in Ikorodu, investigated and charged to court.

“Some are still being investigated. However, those not found culpable are released immediately without paying a dime,’’ he said.

The spokesman pointed out that there was also a regular check on police cells across the state, stressing that no suspect was detained for days in the cell anywhere.

Newsmen had earlier gathered that police in Ikorodu allegedly arrested and detained some young men, including some who claimed to be students of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, over alleged cultism.

Newsmen further learnt that each suspect who paid between N50,000 and N100,000 to the police was released, while those who could not pay were further detained.

A source alleged that one of the detained suspects arrested at Sabo Bus Stop, Ikorodu, was able to reach his brother serving in the Nigerian Army and the family lawyer.

He was released when the police could not provide evidence of his connection to cultism, the source said.