Police officer redeployed over controversial tweets

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has ordered the redeployment of controversial police officer Abayomi Shogunle to Nkalagu, in Ebonyi State, reports say.

Daily Sun gathered that Shogunle’s transfer, which took immediate effect on Friday May 3, may not be unconnected with his controversial comments on social media which the police said was unbecoming of an officer.

Sources at the Police Force headquarters in Abuja told our correspondent that Shogunle, who until his redeployment was head of the Nigerian Police Force’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU), had been given several queries for his comments on controversial issues on social media.

It was gathered that Shogunle’s comment on social media where he said having sex in public was not an offence did not go down well with the authorities who immediately directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to debunk the claim. The comment also forced the Solicitor General of the state to issue a statement to that effect.

He was said to have been served a query with a warning to stop dragging the name of the Force in the mud.

Sources at Force headquarters also hinted that Shogunle’s social media post, where he advised Nigerians to resort to pidgin English in order to avoid extra judicial killings by reckless police officers also got the authorities worried.

It was gathered that his latest comment on the raid of prostitutes by the Federal Capital Development Authorities (FCDA), where he said prostitution is a sin, sent him packing to Ebonyi State.

Shogunle’s comment on Twitter Wednesday where he said:

“Those making noise on the clampdown on prostitutes in #Abuja;

•Prostitution is a crime under the law

•P is a sin under the 2 main religions of FCT residents

•Medicine says P is spreading HIV & STD

•P is lifeline of violent criminals

•P don’t pay tax

•Culture frowns at P, received bashing from his followers who are also calling on police authorities to do away with him.

Already, the issue has been trending, with hashtag #AbujaPoliceRaidonWomen.

It was gathered that Shogunle had received at least four official queries before being transferred from the Force headquarters.

When contacted, Force public relations officer Frank Mba confirmed the report.

Mba said Shogunle has been transferred to Nkalagu, in Ebonyi State, as Area Commander”. He, however, refused to state the reasons why Shogunle was redeployed