Days after a mid-drama reported to have played out at
Lagos State Police Command between CP Imohimi
Edgal, and Commissioner of police, Explosive and
Ordinance Department (EOD), Kayode Egbetokun, over
handing over of office, personnel have begun to
express feeling of no confidence on the CP, who they
claimed has tactically started going after their
colleagues alleged of supporting his recent
redeployment out of the state.
Their fear of the CP, since his return to the state, was
centered on an alleged recent hand-pick redeployment
of officers who were said to had expressed personal
views on Edgar’s redeployment out of Lagos.
The policemen fear came barely a week after
Egbetokun, who was expected to replace Edgal,
resumed at the command for commencement of
operations, but was prevented by the CP, arguing that
the signal that announced his redeployment has been
reversed.
Before embarking on the alleged tactical moves, Edgal,
after his return, visited various formations including
Rapid Response Squads (RRS) where he tasked
personnel to re-dedicate selves towards boosting
standard of security by going after any criminal in the
state.
But against the CP’s visit to the formation were
reported unconventional redeployments which had
brought palpable fear among policemen in the state.
Aside those already redeployed, The Guild gathered
that the commissioner has also commenced compilation
of another fresh list of officers to suffer same fate after
their stance on his redeployment.
The Guild gathered that about seven District Police
Officers (DPOs) have been allegedly redeployed
without official signal to the posting; rather, they learnt
about the development through radio connected to all
police stations.
According to sources close to the CP, the tactical move
was to ensure Edgal removes policemen loyal to
Egbetokun from the system.
One of the sources closed to the command disclosed to
The Guild that officers were marked as loyalists of
Egbetokun, linking their visit to the command on
Tuesday to mean otherwise .
Through phone, the source disclosed the CP first target
was a police women, Deputy Superintendent of Police
(DSP), Yetunde Cardoso, identified as loyalist of
Egbetokun, transferred from the State Criminal
Investigative Department (CID) to Area ‘L’ Command in
riverine axis.
The source hinted that Cardoso must have been
redeployed due to her relationship with Egbetokun,
adding that, the CP went as far redeploying the woman
personal assistance, also to the riverine axis of the
state.
Another police officer at the State Command disclosed
that the DPO of Ogudu, who was never at the command
during the mid-drama nor visit the command after
Edgal redeployment was announced, also suffered
same fate.
The source disclosed that there was never an official
signal from the command on DPO’s redeployment,
rather, he learnt of his new post through the command
central radio, an announcement that caused panic
within the station.
A policeman, who was not affected by the move,
explained to the Guild that redeployment in Nigerian
Police was normal and were often embarked upon to
boost security.
But for another officer, such development could have
different thing should such action be carried out to
witch-hunt officers.
When calls were put through to the affected officers to
have their reactions over the matter, they declined to
comment, saying, their status do not have privilege to
discussing with newsmen.
Meanwhile, Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO),
Chike Oti, who spoke contrarily to the allegation,
debunked the assertion, claiming that the
Commissioner could never embarked on such, rather
has majorly concentrated on policing within the state.
Oti stressed that redeployment of personnel was an
internal affairs that does not concern the public, saying,
any officer panicking must have embark on an act
against the law.
