Illegal duty: Sergeant drinks poison in police detention

Lagos CP. Fatai Owoseni

A police sergeant, arrested for embarking on illegal duty, has attempted to commit suicide by drinking poison while in detention.

The sergeant, attached to Ikotun Police Station, has been identified as Lucky. The sergeant and two others were said to have been arrested last Thursday at Ikotun, while they were extorting money from young people coming out of banking halls at Ikotun.

The activities of the policemen were said to have been reported to the Area M Commander, Egbeda/Idimu, who ordered that the men be arrested by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Ikotun.

A police source said: “Lucky tried to kill himself because he had sent people to beg the Area M Commander, but the man refused. The area commander vowed to drag Lucky before the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni. Lucky was a former driver to the Area M Commander. He was transferred from Area M to Ikotun Police Station because he was fond of harassing people coming out from banking halls along Car Wash Bus Stop area of Egbeda. Rather than change, he went to Ikotun, to continue in his old ways.”

It was gathered that the men had been in detention since Thursday. But on Tuesday, Lucky drank poison while in detention at Ikotun Police Station. Lucky was said to have collapsed and rushed to Igando Police Station. It was also alleged that he didn’t take enough of the poison to kill him out rightly.

How Lucky came to be in possession of the poison is yet unknown. It is however believed that a colleague gave it to him.

Our correspondent gathered that some residents of the area, who lives close to the bank, reported the policemen.

They were arrested by undercover policemen, drafted to the scene by the Area M Commander.

A police source disclosed that some unscrupulous policemen at Idimu Police Station, Area M Police Command and Ikotun Police Station, were fond of harassing youngsters coming out of banking hall. They would accused them of being cyber fraudsters, intimidate and drag them to the stations, where they would extort money from them.