Revealed: How Ajah Police Officers are influenced by Alcohol on duty

In the Ajiwe Police Division of Ajah, Lagos State, Nigeria, it is common for police officers to abuse alcohol while on duty.

This behaviour may contribute to the high rates of extrajudicial killings by officers at the station.

According to residents and business owners, these officers often appear to be under the influence of alcohol while on patrol. This issue may have played a role in the recent killing of a pregnant lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, by an Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the Ajiwe division.

Two weeks before this incident, another officer from the same division, Inspector Imeh Johnson, shot and killed a resident, Gafaru Buraimoh, who was on his way to purchase fuel. When reporters from The PUNCH visited the police station, they observed several officers consuming alcohol, both in sachets and canned drinks, while armed.

Some officers were even seen purchasing these drinks from vendors near the station, while others went to nearby traders to avoid being seen.

Close contact with him showed that he was drunk, as his body reeked of alcohol, according to the correspondent.

“While this reporter thought he was about to be questioned about his presence around the police post, the policeman, who sounded incoherent, requested a sum of N200.”

“Out of curiosity, the reporter gave him N1,000 in expectation of his balance.”

There have been calls for a total overhaul and restructuring of the Nigerian Police. Many Nigerians believe it is a dumping ground for Nigeria’s criminals and that no stringent vetting process is done before recruitment.

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