Group seeks probe of Lagos police command over alleged abuses

A political and civil society group, the Renewal Group (TRG), has called on President Bola Tinubu to set up a panel of inquiry into the activities of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, and Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, citing illegal operations and widespread human rights abuses.

The group made the call during a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, describing policing in the state as “gradually turning into an embarrassment and a nightmare.”

It said that the activities of the task force, particularly in traffic enforcement and property disputes, were illegal and beyond its statutory mandate.

TRG’s Convener, Lai Omotola, said that the task force, established to handle environmental offences, had overreached its powers by intervening in traffic matters and operating on federal roads where it has no jurisdiction.

He, however, cited a recent viral incident involving Lagos State task force officials intervening in a traffic situation on a one-way road, insisting that such enforcement falls within the responsibilities of agencies like the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

According to him, the presence of multiple traffic enforcement agencies raises concerns about duplication of duties and abuse of authority.

Beyond the viral video, the group alleged a pattern of more serious abuses under Akerele’s command, which include the forcible takeover of citizens’ property, confiscation of CCTV cameras and mobile phones to prevent recording, extrajudicial use of a mobile court at the task force’s Oshodi office to dispatch citizens to Kirikiri Correctional Centre, and deliberate obstruction of court-ordered processes.

TRG also raised concerns over the alleged forceful takeover of private property, claiming that police officers have been deployed to occupy disputed lands without investigation or court orders, thereby denying rightful owners access to their property.

It also cited an example in Victoria Island where security personnel were reportedly arrested, and surveillance equipment was removed before enforcement actions were carried out.

The group, therefore, described the situation as a growing pattern of impunity and warned that it could undermine public trust in law enforcement, especially in Lagos, which it described as a critical economic and political hub.

TRG, however, called on the President to set up an independent panel of enquiry to investigate the allegations and determine the extent of the alleged abuses, saying that the move was necessary to restore accountability and prevent a breakdown of law and order.