New Telegraph

Checkmate excesses of your officers, LASG tells police

Following the ongoing nationwide protests against the menace of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), the Lagos State Government yesterday charged police authorities to stop the incessant harassment of Nigerians by some officers of the anti- robbery squad, saying not all computer-carrying youths are criminals or internet fraudsters The government said any officers of the squad found to have harassed innocent Nigerian should be arrested and prosecuted.

Addressing protesters who had occupied the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, since Friday, the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said it was wrong for any law enforcement agent to maim or criminalise another Nigerian without reasonable cause.

Hazmat said: “It’s okay to protest but I say clearly that it is wrong for any law enforcement agent to maim or criminalise another Nigerian without reasonable cause. The police or law enforcement agents must do their job. “In doing that job, you cannot trample on the right of the citizens. You cannot say our youths, because of their looks or they are carrying computer, are guilty of a crime. The police’s job is to arrest people and send them for prosecution if they do something wrong. “That tenet must be adhered to. We are not against police fighting robbery but we are saying do not unjustifiably hurt our children because of their looks.

Whoever is responsible for a crime should be arrested and prosecuted.” The deputy governor, however, enjoined the protesters to be law abiding, adding that, in spite of the bad eggs among the police, their job is important to the safety of the citizenry.

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