DPO in trouble for attempting to jail 2 mechanics

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has set up a 5-man committee to probe the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Elemoro Division over an alleged attempt to jail two innocent mechanics in the state.

Jimoh made this known in a statement issued by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Monday, May 5, 2025.

The police commissioner ordered the probe following a report on “How a Lagos DPO tried to jail 2 innocent mechanics”.

In the publication, a lawyer accused the DPO of unlawfully detaining his mechanics and seizing his car.

The lawyer said he gave his car to his mechanics and during test-driving, officers from the Elemoro Police Division apprehended them claiming that the car was a suspected stolen vehicle.

The legal practitioner said after he had already identified himself as the car owner, the DPO still charged his mechanics to court, accusing them of being in possession of a vehicle “reasonably suspected to be stolen”.

The lawyer stated that the magistrate of the court, after reviewing evidence dismissed the charges immediately and freed his mechanics but the DPO refused to release his car.

He disclosed that it took a formal order from the magistrate before his car was finally released, 22 days after it was unlawfully seized.

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The lawyer called on the police authority to probe the action of the DPO, saying many innocent people were behind bars for similar cases.

Responding, Jimoh said the command had set up a committee headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), including the Officer-in Charge of Legal of the Command, to investigate all the allegations in the report and submit findings within a week.

Jimoh noted that the DPO and other officers involved have been transferred out of Elemoro Division to pave way for a thorough and unhindered investigation into the allegations in the report.

The police commissioner stated: “The outcome of the investigation will certainly be made public.

“We wish to extend invitation to the lawyer concerned for a meeting at his own convenience with the committee set up to investigate the allegations.

“We implore members of the public to have trust in the police and be assured that every wrongdoing proven against any officer would certainly be redressed.”

The Star