I visit cells to ensure rights are not violated, says Lagos CP Odumosun

By Aruba Joe Omokaro

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Akeem Odumosun has explained that he usually makes unscheduled visits to the command’s stations to ensure that people are not detained unjustly.

Speaking exclusively with The Daily Tines in his office on Wednesday, Odumosun stresssed that the essence of his unannounced visits to police stations is to ensure that rights of people are not violated.

He further disclosed that on many occasions he visits police stations between midnight and 4.00am.

He said when he visits police stations he heads straight to the cells and ask the detainees why they were detained.

According to him, “if l am not satisfied with the reason they are detained l order for their immediate release.”

He further disclosed that, “even today (Wednesday) l was at Alausa police station and l found out that some people were detained under court order. I told the DPO (Divisional Police Officer ) the police station is not the prison.”

Odumosun noted that, “Lagos State government has given us free test on COVID-19 for suspects.” He said he therefore instructed the DPO if for the sake of COVID-19 he should take the suspects for test And that, “those who test negative should be taken to the prison instead of detaining them in the cell.

He said he spends about 20 per cent of the day visiting police stations including weekends and public holidays.

He also disclosed that one of his reasons for such visits is to ensure that policemen on duty are performing effectively.

“Iif you don’t check these boys (policemen) regularly you will not get the best from them,” he concluded.