["Oga! When I’m off duty, I am inside my house with my family, I can take as much alcohol as I want. It has not impaired my police duties. I am off duty and I am not at that point doing any police duty. I can take as much alcohol as I want. As long as I don’t go and fall inside a gutter on the street such that people will identify me, saying, 'That’s a policeman in the gutter'."Even the policemen that were caught taking alcohol, they were not behaving erratically, they were not misbehaving. Yes, there was a tendency that they could misbehave because they were drunk but at the point when your colleague, Dayo Oyewo, took their pictures, they were not misbehaving."They were just drinking and they were drunk and that’s what makes it unprofessional, they were in uniforms but if they took same amount of alcohol while they are off duty, while in mufti, it has not constituted an offence, they have not committed an offence."They have not misbehaved, they have not assaulted anybody, they have not extorted (money from) anybody, they are just drinking. Anybody can drink. Police work is not slavery, anybody can drink."]

The Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, has hinted that police officers are not barred by any law from taking alcohol, especially when they are not performing official functions.

Hundeyin disclosed this during an interview with The Punch, where he also argued that "police work is not slavery" and as such officers are free to engage in normal activities as civilians when not on duty.

This comes on the heels of a Christmas Day incident where an ASP, identified as Drambi Vandi, shot and killed a seven months pregnant lawyer, Bolanle Raheem.

The officer was attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah which has now become notorious for extrajudicial killings following a similar incident over a month ago.

Speaking about the measures put in place by the police authority to ensure that the station is purged of errant officers, the Police spokesman said the officers from Ajiwe police station have been scattered across other locations in Lagos.

He explained that the move will prevent them from operating as a unit and allow them to undergo needed reformation under their new superiors.

Hundeyin emphasised that the transfer of the officers had nothing to do with alcohol consumption as widely speculated online.

A recent photo showing officers decked in police uniforms drinking alcohol at a relaxation spot caused an uproar online with many Nigerians suggesting that it's inappropriate for police personnel to indulge in such an act.

Responding to questions on the subject, the Lagos PPRO told The Punch that even though there was a tendency for the drunk officers to misbehave, there was no sign of them acting erratically at the point when their pictures were taken.

Hundeyin's words: "Oga! When I’m off duty, I am inside my house with my family, I can take as much alcohol as I want. It has not impaired my police duties. I am off duty and I am not at that point doing any police duty. I can take as much alcohol as I want. As long as I don’t go and fall inside a gutter on the street such that people will identify me, saying, 'That’s a policeman in the gutter'.

"Even the policemen that were caught taking alcohol, they were not behaving erratically, they were not misbehaving. Yes, there was a tendency that they could misbehave because they were drunk but at the point when your colleague, Dayo Oyewo, took their pictures, they were not misbehaving.

"They were just drinking and they were drunk and that’s what makes it unprofessional, they were in uniforms but if they took same amount of alcohol while they are off duty, while in mufti, it has not constituted an offence, they have not committed an offence.

"They have not misbehaved, they have not assaulted anybody, they have not extorted (money from) anybody, they are just drinking. Anybody can drink. Police work is not slavery, anybody can drink."

Post Reply

Posted: at 7-01-2023 03:48 PM (1 year ago) | Addicted Hero

ok

Posted: at 7-01-2023 04:06 PM (1 year ago) | Addicted Hero

While on duty?

Posted: at 7-01-2023 06:41 PM (1 year ago) | Upcoming

Alcoholic 

Posted: at 7-01-2023 08:48 PM (1 year ago) | Grande Master

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