One Slap Too Many? Abuja Police Boss Sends DPO Packing
By: Abudu Olalekan
It happened in a flash. A sharp, stinging slap. And it was all caught on camera. The video, short but brutal, hit the internet and just blew up. It showed a Divisional Police Officer, a man supposed to uphold the law, striking a young man during an arrest. The scene? Ushafa, a community in the Federal Capital Territory. The reaction? Pure outrage.
People on X, formerly Twitter, were furious. The clip was shared thousands of times, each share carrying a wave of condemnation. This wasn’t just a mistake, they said, it was an abuse of power. It was unprofessional, ugly, and everything the police force shouldn’t be. The noise was impossible to ignore. It was loud, it was angry, and it demanded a response.
The response came. And it came from the top. The Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Miller Dantawaye, wasn’t having it. Not one bit. He saw the video, just like everyone else, and he called the officer’s action what it was: unacceptable. Plain and simple.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, conveyed the commissioner’s fury. “The Commissioner of Police strongly condemns the officer’s actions,” the statement read, “which fall short of the high standards of discipline, civility, and professionalism expected of police officers.” You could feel the frustration in those words. This wasn’t just a minor slip-up, it was a betrayal of the uniform.
So, what’s the consequence? For now, the DPO has been yanked from his post. He’s been redeployed to the command’s headquarters, a move that’s basically a timeout while they dig deeper. “Consequently, the officer has been redeployed, and the situation is currently under investigation,” Adeh confirmed. He’s off the streets, pending the outcome of a thorough probe.
But the CP didn’t stop there. He sent a clear message to all his other officers, a warning shot really. He reminded every Divisional Police Officer and their subordinates to stay professional. Be courteous. Respect the people you’re sworn to protect. “He warns that any act of misconduct or abuse of power will attract severe sanctions,” the statement added. It was a direct, no-nonsense warning.
This feels familiar, doesn’t it? It seems like we’ve been here before. Reportersroom had reported that just recently, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State also redeployed a DPO. That incident involved a social media influencer, Mandykiss, who was seen filming and insulting a mother and daughter she had gotten arrested. The police there were also accused of unprofessional conduct for letting it happen under their watch.
And even before that, back in June, the FCT Police Command was investigating another viral video. This one showed suspected police operatives allegedly harassing a man on patrol around the Chikakore Bridge area. The police later explained their side, saying the man was being aggressive and trying to cause a scene, but the video still raised a lot of questions.
It’s a tough spot for the police. They’re trying to build trust, to encourage community policing where there’s “mutual respect and cooperation,” as the CP stated. But how can you build trust when videos like this keep surfacing? It’s a hard road ahead, and it only takes one slap, one viral moment, to set everything back. For now, the DPO is paying the price. The real question is, will it be enough to change the story?
