The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Tijani, on Friday, July 31, read the riot act to police officers in the state who are fond of driving commercial vehicles and motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, while in uniform.
It is not unusual to find police officers picking up and dropping passengers in commercial buses while also doing same in their private cars known as Kabukabu in their uniform. Those of them who have motorcycles also use them to carry passengers in order to make extra money.
Apparently following a deluge of complaints over the unprofessional behaviour of the officers, the Commissioner of Police said the command would not tolerate such an act where officers in uniform drive commercial vehicles and motorcycles, pick and drop passengers.
He added that the command would strengthen enforcement to identify, apprehend the offenders and punish them accordingly.
He said: “We have always maintained that security personnel should not operate commercial vehicles or okadas in their uniform. It is not good for the image of the security service and we will continue to enforce the directive against the practice.”
He also said that some impostors have used the opportunity to wear uniforms and posed as police officers to drive commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
“We also found out that some of those who do this are not police personnel. Many are either dismissed officers or individuals unlawfully wearing police uniforms to impersonate security personnel and deceive members of the public,” he added.
The commissioner said the command would issue fresh directives to divisional police officers to arrest anyone found wearing police uniforms while driving commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
He urged residents to report such persons to the police, assuring them that every report would be investigated promptly.
