The commissioner of police in Lagos State, Moshood Jimoh, has said he will not hesitate to dissolve the state task force if there is verified evidence of human rights violations by its officers.
Speaking at a press briefing on Saturday, Jimoh stated that the command will no longer tolerate unprofessional conduct.
Recently, there has been a rise in allegations of extortion and other human rights abuses involving police officers attached to the task force.
A viral video published by Objevtv Media showed operatives of the task force arresting lawyers over land-related issues, sparking criticism and raising concerns about police involvement in civil matters.
Responding to the allegations, Jimoh said the command would investigate any officer accused of extortion, torture, or other abuses, noting that such investigations would be more effective if victims provided evidence.
He added that he had already met with task force officials and warned them against engaging in human rights violations.
“We are not going to defend any police officers who embarks on any wrongdoing. We won’t,” he said.
“If I can charge five police officers to court for the case in Owode Onirin, then who will I not discipline if there is wrongdoing?
“We want the general public to know that we are not covering the task force. We have read the riot act to them yesterday that if I have a complaint of any wrongdoing again, and it is verifiable and investigated, I will not hesitate to dissolve the entire task force and bring in a new set of officers to join them.
“As we speak, we have been posting new officers to the task force after thorough background checks, training, and reorientation.
“We are going to engage human rights organisations and CSOs so that we can broaden their minds on human rights.”
Jimoh also said the police command is open to engaging with residents to better understand its shortcomings and make necessary improvements.