Save us from policemen in mufti, cry residents

Residents of Old Ewu Road by Night market, Omilade Street junction, off Oshodi Road and Mafoluku Junction off Airport Road by Zenith bank are calling on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, to save them from policemen who used to harass them.

According to some of the residents, the policemen, usually seven in numbers, always in mufti allegedly used to hang around any of these areas. Once they see residents passing, they would jump out from their corners and starts harassing them.  The policemen, although in mufti, are usually noticed with their AK47 rifles.

One of the residents, simply identified as Alex, said: “They’ll just order you to stop and start searching you for no reason. This had been going on for too long. We’re citizens of Nigeria and shouldn’t be made to undergo such search and harassment every day!”

Our correspondent, who investigated allegation, sighted the policemen subjecting these passers-by to thorough search. Some of those stopped on this particular day, asked why they were being searched, but the policemen refused to deign them with a reply.

Most of those searched were ordered to report to Makinde Police Station, where the policemen are attached to.

A woman who does business at the night market, names withheld said: “As early as 7am, particularly on Fridays, these seven policemen numbering would dress in mufti and stay at these points. They would flag down every motorbike conveying people going to work. Sometimes, this often resulted to argument between the police and those they are searching. The police will not disclose what they are looking for and people see it as a way of delaying them from going to their businesses.”

A resident at Ewu Road, Mrs. Amaka said: “The police are after ‘yahoo boys.’ If they see anyone with bags, they would search them to know the materials they have in their possessions. They’ll trace the person to his house and investigate what he does for a living. They used to arrest many people and take them to their station!”

A businessman at Ladipo Automobile Market, identified as Igwe said the situation has become a routine thing.

Igwe said: “I think the police should work on information. They should go after those they have information about. They should stop searching everyone passing along the road. I have been a victim of silly search countless times!”