The Ondo State Police Command has refuted claims that one of its officers stole phones in the Idogun community, Ose Local Government Area.
A viral video circulating on social media showed when the officer in police uniform, armed with a rifle and carrying a bag, entered a shop with the community.
The officer was accused by X users of taking two mobile phones from the shop.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Akure, the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, dismissed the accusation, stating that no one from the community had reported a case of phone theft.
Afolabi confirmed that the officer is a member of the Quick Intervention Unit deployed to Idogun to restore peace amid clashes between rival groups over a chieftaincy dispute.
“Yes, the boys never denied that they went there. According to them, they went there to remove their phones and power bank, which they had dropped in the shop to be charged.
“So, if this type of incident happens, instead of going to the media—because the media is not the police station—I would have expected you to lodge a report.
“All you succeeded in doing was to go to the media. As I’m seated here now, I have not received any report of that incident.
“And there is nobody that has come forward to lodge a report that his or her phone got lost.
“So, be that as it may be, in as much as nobody has come to lodge a report, we will just take it as if there is no element of truth in it.
“If, on the other hand, we receive any report that truly people’s items were missing, we’ll commence full investigation into that matter,” Afolabi said.
The police commissioner urged residents to report incidents directly to law enforcement rather than relying on social media to make allegations.
Ondo Police React To Officer’s Alleged Theft In Viral Video is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
