The Kwara State Police Command has warned operatives of the F-SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad) against misconduct in the course of duty.

This was contained in a statement issued in Ilorin on Thursday by Kwara State PPRO, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Lawan Ado, gave the warning while meeting with the Command’s officers and operatives of the squad.

“This was consequent upon different misconducts attributed to the outfit in recent times, which has brought some level of disrepute to the image and the good name the command has toiled so much to maintain.”

The complaints include allegations of extortion, checking of telephone handsets of citizens, laptops and labelling every young man seen in a car as being a fraudster. The CP also warned against drunkenness especially while on duty. He reiterated that he would not hesitate to wield the big stick on any officer whose actions or inaction would drag the jealously guarded name of the Police in the mud.

He re-echoed the directive of the Inspector General of Police that the ban on road blocks on highways remains in force.

While also assuring the men of the support and protection of the Police authority at all times, he promised that the Command would do everything within its powers to make their work easy, he admonished the officers to be civil in all their dealings with the members of the public, while also telling them that, their being members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad does not in any way differentiate them from other policemen and as such they must at all times abide by their rules of engagement, dress code and must be neatly dressed as they were not immune against sanctions.

He also reminded the officers that, a male Police officer searching a female suspect is a misnomer, searching of telephone set belonging to accosted citizens by SARS operatives, escorting suspects to the ATM machine to collect money, or forcing suspect to make electronic money transfer is robbery, he further declared that any officer arrested doing any of the above will be dismissed and charged to court.

He told the officers that their welfare is a priority to the Police management, saying their job was not an easy one.

He admonished the good people of Kwara State to continue to support the team and volunteer information so as to enable the Police discharge its responsibility adequately.