The National Orientation Agency has commended the Nigerian Police for swiftly disowning, arresting, and dismissing two special constabularies who attempted to extort a Dutch power bike cyclist from the force.
Recall that the dismissal was announced by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, at the police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan on Thursday.
The two special constabularies identified as Jimoh Lukmon and Kareem Fatai were captured in a viral video recently soliciting money from a Dutch tourist travelling to Abuja on a power bike.
A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press, Paul Odenyi, on Friday, described the police officers caught extorting money from a Dutch tourist, as unpatriotic and a very bad representation of the Nigerian culture.
The agency’s Director General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who regretted the act said the real Nigerian spirit abhors stealing in whatever guise.
The statement read, “Those officers didn’t portray themselves as real Nigerians. A real Nigerian is honest, dedicated, courteous and hardworking. No real Nigerian would descend that low to demand bribes from a tourist. Let it be known that this is not us. This is not the real Nigerian spirit.”
Issa-Onilu also praised the Dutch tourist for taking the bold step of reporting to the authorities.