“When I was the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, I never joked with my job — especially on Saturdays.
Although my duties usually began at 10 a.m., that day I woke up as early as 6 a.m. to make an unannounced inspection.
I got into my Jeep and headed for the office, but then decided to make a ‘surprise visit’ to some police officers along the road — to see how they were carrying out their duties.
At a certain checkpoint along Herbert Macaulay Road, some young police officers stopped me. A young constable looked at me and said:
‘Young man, where are you going with your father’s car?’
He asked for the vehicle documents and my driver’s licence. I told him my name was Mohammed. He insisted I must show my ID card. I told him he should first show me his own.
He had no ID card, so he called their sergeant.
The sergeant also asked for my ID card, and I replied that he should first show me his before I show mine. Seeing that I wasn’t afraid or showing any respect for their intimidation, they said we should go to Yaba Police Station (Panti) to “find out who I was.”
When we got to the station, there was no parking except the one reserved for the DPO. I parked there. The constable got angry and said: “That’s the DPO’s parking space!” I didn’t utter a word.
When we entered inside, they took me to an ASP (Assistant Superintendent of Police) who was wearing shorts!
He told me to come in. I refused, saying there was no way he would interrogate me in casual home clothes.
He got angry and pulled me inside forcefully — I pulled him as well.
When he looked closely at my face, his eyes widened in shock…
Meanwhile, an elderly man in the station peeked into the DPO’s office to check the wall where the photographs of police commanders were hung.
When he confirmed it was me, he simply jumped out through the window and ran away!
The sergeant who brought me in still couldn’t understand what was happening — until another police officer came close to his ear and whispered: “Hey, this is the CP!”
In panic, even the ASP in shorts also followed through the window and ran away!
Afterwards, the Area Commander called me to ask what happened.
He was told that the DPO, the ASP, and other officers involved had been detained — awaiting my orders.
What upset me the most was not the arrest itself — no. It was the level of indiscipline, lack of training, and lack of professionalism they displayed.
How can a police officer stand on the road without an ID card, yet stop and detain people?
How can an ASP sit in casual home wear while handling official duties?
This incident confirmed to me that leadership is not about sitting in an office — you must go out, see for yourself, and ensure truth and justice are upheld at every level.”
Muhammed Abubakar
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