The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi will be expected to give a keynote speech at the forthcoming Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA) meeting and awards, which will hold on 17th August 2022.
The coordinator of SFPA, who is also the Executive Director of RULAAC, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, said that the Quarterly Meeting and Awards Event will hold at Primal Hotel, 46B Isaac John Street, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos on August 17th, 2022, at 10:00 AM
Alabi is expected to speak on, “COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: PANACEA FOR EFFECTIVE POLICE PERFORMANCE.”
Nwanguman in a letter to the Alabi urged him to also release some officers, who had done well and have been noticed for their professionalism, to be awarded.
The officers are CSP Abubakar Aliyu, former O/C, X-Squad, for “Effective Community Engagement and Upholding Police Accountability,” as O/C, X-Squad, Lagos State Police Command (June 2018 – July 2021) and Representative of the Lagos State Police Command in the Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA).
There is also CSP Patricia Amadin, DPO Anthony Division, for “Effective Community Engagement, Courage, and Exceptional Performance,” as DPO Anthony Division, Lagos State Police Command
He said: “The Stakeholders’ Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA) was established in 2018 as an outcome of CSOs and other stakeholders’ engagement with the Lagos State Police Command on issues of police accountability and the need to have a formalised structure for regular engagement and interaction with the Police on issues of police accountability in Lagos State. This partnership was facilitated by the Nigerian Policing Programme of the British Council. The platform was officially launched on August 15, 2018, by the then Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Imohimi Edgal, now AIG retired. The platform stands as a liaison between the police and the communities in Lagos State, to create public awareness and understanding of the workings of the various public complaints and disciplinary units within the Lagos State Police Command and their feedback system.”
He further explained that the Forum offers a medium for formalised and structured engagement with the various complaints and disciplinary units and aims to contribute to strengthening the units and promoting police accountability.
He stated that the composition of the platform includes representatives of the Lagos State Police Command, the National Human Rights Commission, and community-based and other non-governmental organisations based in Lagos State.
“Since it was launched in August 2018, it has been carrying out a variety of activities aimed at deepening partnership between the police and the communities and to improve accountability, police public relations, and ultimately, public safety and security. CP Imohimi Edgal, while launching the platform, noted that accountability was important for building trust between the police and citizens. He noted that the platform would help to promote Police community partnership and the participation of people in policing, and that accountability will help the police to win back the trust and confidence of Lagosians, ‘which is why we take accountability seriously by ensuring that erring officers are disciplined. To demonstrate his commitment to accountability and the purpose of the platform, he assigned SP Abubakar Aliyu, then O/C, X-Squad as a member of the platform to represent the State Command in the activities of the platform, and give feedback to the CP,” said Nwanguma.
He recalled that at a Town Hall meeting in Ikotun, organised by the platform, which had heads of some police complaints units including PCB, X-Squad, SARS, some DPOs, community representatives, market unions, and artisan groups in attendance, members of Okada Union brought a complaint about Police Officers frequently arresting them and taking them to a particular location where they would extort money from them and let them go. “Right there and then, the OC X-Squad accompanied the Okada riders to the location and met the officers in question. He later came back to report that the issue had been resolved. On many other occasions, when complaints of misconduct were brought to his attention, CSP Abubakar Aliyu dealt with them with great seriousness and professionalism,” noted Nwanguma.
He said that while promoting accountability and pushing for disciplinary measures against erring police officers, the platform also organizes events to publicly recognize, commend and reward outstanding and exemplary performance, as a means of incentivizing professional and exemplary conduct.
He said: “SFPA has documented many cases in which the Lagos State Police Command has intervened to address complaints of misconduct brought to their attention through the platform and ensured accountability and justice. Many erring officers have been disciplined by the command while this platform has also organised award events to honour deserving officers for exceptional performances. Former CP Edgal and former PPRO Bala Elkana are among the beneficiaries of the awards for their outstanding contributions to promoting police accountability in Lagos State Police Command. In the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests and the unfortunate Lekki Toll Gate episode in 2020, Police personnel and installations became targets of attacks by the violent mobs which hijacked the protests. During this most difficult period for the NPF, some police officers exhibited rare heroism and demonstrated that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the police can relate to the people they serve in their communities. One of the places we witnessed this rare evidence of the ability to build good community-police relations was in Anthony Police Division, Lagos State Command, where the DPO, a female officer, CSP Patricia Amadin, courageously walked up to the mob as they advanced towards the entrance to the station. She addressed and swayed them against burning the police station and later joined and led them in the protest to the admiration of the protesters. She supplied drinking water to the protesters who cheered her. This would have been a suicide mission had the community perceived her as a bad cop. This is an uncommon act of heroism worthy of commendation. This platform frequently receives complaints against some police officers from members of the public. But we have not received any complaint of bad conduct from Anthony Division since CSP Amadin assumed duty there as DPO. We are also aware of commendable acts of professionalism and exercise of restraint in the face of provocation and danger by some gallant officers during the post-EndSARS violence. The case of CSP Taiwo Kasumu (as he then was), as DPO Igando Division, Lagos State Police Command (now ACP, and Area Commander in Ibadan) is outstanding. Additionally, he was one of the notable DPOs who did not condone misconduct or abuse of power by officers under his command. These are rare acts of professionalism and courage, community engagement, and building trust and relationships which deserve special commendation.
“It is in consideration of these exceptional performances that we have included, as part of the Agenda for our SFPA meeting in Lagos, awards to the following officers: ACP Taiwo Kasumu, for Upholding Professional Policing Standards and Outstanding Performance, as DPO Igando Division, Lagos State Police Command (July 2018 – December 2020), CSP Abubakar Aliyu, former O/C, X-Squad, for ‘’Effective Community Engagement and Upholding Police Accountability’’ as O/C, X-Squad (June 2018 – July 2021) and Representative of Lagos State Police Command in the Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA). CSP Patricia Amadin, DPO Anthony Police Division, for ‘Effective Community Engagement, Courage, and Exceptional Performance, as DPO Anthony Division, Lagos State Police Command. SFPA resolved to give these awards to these deserving officers to commend them, to hold them up as models for professional policing, and to encourage them and others to stay on the path of professionalism and integrity.”
