In the wake of the dismissal of two police constabularies accused of accepting a bribe from a Dutch woman on a motorbike journey across Africa, the Oyo State Police Command seeks to address the public narrative.
Also read: Dismissed Oyo State constables blame govt for bribery incident
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State officially announced the termination of the officers, citing the conclusion of an orderly room investigation as the basis for their dismissal.
The two dismissed officers later released a video statement on social media, presenting their perspective on the situation.
They claimed to have served for over three years without receiving any salary or government support. In their video, the former officers stated that financial difficulties forced them into begging for money from motorists and engaging in bribery to meet their basic needs and support their families.
Responding to the controversy, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Delta State, DSP Bright Edafe, cautioned the media against potential misinformation.
Edafe clarified that the individuals in question were police constabularies, not regular police officers.
He emphasized that they willingly accepted the voluntary nature of their service, understanding it was not formal employment, and urged the media to accurately represent this distinction in their reporting.
The clarification from the Delta State PPRO aims to set the record straight amid public discussions surrounding the dismissal and the subsequent claims made by the former officers.
“You guys are supposed to be credible, so don’t call them police officers, please they were police constabularies who were properly informed that it’s a voluntary service and not employment which they accept before joining. Don’t help them to spread false narratives. Use your wonderful platform to spread the truth and not to mislead the public. Thank you,” Edafe wrote.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
