Mr. Hundeyin, the Police Image Maker added of the policeman seen drinking, “They have not misbehaved, they have not assaulted, they have not extorted (money from) anybody, they are simply drinking.” Anyone can drink. Being a police officer is not slave labor.
They were just drinking and intoxicated, which is what made it unprofessional; they were wearing uniforms. However, if they consumed the same amount of alcohol while they were off duty, while dressed as muftis, it did not constitute an offense, and they had not broken any laws.
In an interview with the PUNCH newspaper on Saturday, Mr. Hundeyin made this claim.
He said, “Even the policemen who were discovered drinking weren’t acting recklessly or acting inappropriately. Yes, they had the propensity to act inappropriately when intoxicated, but when your colleague Dayo Oyewo shot their images, they were acting appropriately.
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A Punch reporter had earlier this week photographed Ajiwe police officers drinking near their station.
Only a few days prior, on Christmas Day, an assistant superintendent of police named Drambi Vandi fatally shot a pregnant Lagos lawyer named Bolanle Raheem at a checkpoint in Ajah.
The horrific murder sparked outrage around the country and elevated discussions about police violence to the fore.
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Activists have questioned the makeup of police recruits and the caliber of their training throughout the years. There are also claims that many police officers abuse drugs and alcohol, which makes it difficult for them to act professionally and civilly while on duty.
A resolution to forbid police officers from consuming alcohol while on duty was just passed by the House of Representatives.