IGP wields big stick on drunken police officer

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, ordered that Inspector K.H. Kadima be tried when a video showing him drunk at Akowonjo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos went viral.

He was seen drunk on Instablog9ja.

Another Inspector, Emmanuel Egba, who was seen with a bottle of beer at Ogunronbi Road, Idimu, Lagos, was warned.

Egba’s picture was published by a national daily in September.

It was learnt that Idris directed Lagos State Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal to act on Kadima’s case when his attention was drawn to the video.

The inspector was said to have been traced to Ikeja where he was apprehended and tried.

He was said to have confessed that he was the one in the video during the Orderly Room trial.

A statement by the command’s spokesman, Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), gave Kadima’s number as 176219

The statement reads in part: “The attention of IGP Ibrahim Idris has been drawn to a video of Lagos policeman who got drunk at Akowonjo, Dopemu area of Lagos. He directed CP Edgal to fish out the erring policeman for appropriate disciplinary action.

“The policeman, who was stupefied after guzzling large quantity of alcoholic beverage, was located and apprehended today (yesterday) at Police Mobile Force Squadron 22 Base, Ikeja, where he served as the Command Provost. He was identified as Inspector Kadima Useni with appointment number 176219.

“During interrogation, the officer affirmed that he was the one in the video. He was, therefore, tried in orderly room and summarily dismissed to act as a deterrent to others.”

The CP has ordered that beer parlours in the police barracks be shut to avert a recurrence.

“CP Edgal warns against offering policemen alcoholic drinks while on duty by members of the public. He added that henceforth any policeman found drunk on duty would be visited with similar punishment,” Oti said.

Egba, attached to Area ‘M’ Command, Idimu, Lagos, was arrested on September 13 for holding a bottle of beer on duty.

He was questioned by some senior officers, but denied the allegation, stating that he recovered the beer bottle with liquid content from a motorist, who was drinking right inside his car.

“He (Egba) feared that the driver might get himself intoxicated, thereby endangering his life and that of other road users,” he said.

“The case is, however, being investigated at the Command Provost Section and if his claim is found to be false, appropriate disciplinary action will be meted out to him after an Orderly Room Trial,” he said.

Oti said Egba was warned because “no one saw him drinking. It was a motionless picture.”