Lagos RRS officers avoid ‘paraga’ stalls, gambling centres — after TheCable’s report

Officers of the Lagos rapid response squad (RRS) who frequently patronise stalls along Kadiri road, Ikeja to drink locally-distilled liquor, popularly known as ‘paraga’ and wander along the same road and other axis to gamble now appeared to have stitch a tear in their unprofessional playbook.

This development follows TheCable’s report where a couple of officers from the elite police squad were caught in the act. 

The report had shown, with videos and pictures, how officers of the RRS have consistently transgressed part 12, section 100 (1) of the Nigerian Police Act, 2021.

“While on duty, a police officer shall not take any intoxicating liquor, psychotropic substances, or stimulants, where he does, he shall be punished in accordance with the police disciplinary procedures,” the section reads.

One of the alcohol sellers, whose stall is not far from the RRS parade ground, had told TheCable that the officers gather there to “change their clothes”, “relax” and “shine their eyes with paraga” every Monday and Friday.

“It depends, sometimes when they come, their friends want to come along. Most of them come here to change their clothes, shine their eyes and to relax,” she had said.

“If dem no take alcohol, dem go take ‘predator’, anything that will make them relax. Dem dey always plenty. Sometimes they are less than 10. While some are going, some are coming.

“Some will stay at the place of that other woman that sell over there. One thing about them is that the ones wey wan resume work go take some before dem go for parade; after parade you fit see them say ‘make I take one or two’ before dem go.”

To corroborate the report, TheCable had cited a case of a police officer, who was seen on November 2020, misbehaving under the influence of alcohol at CBN junction in Abuja.

Also in November 2018, Kadima Useni, a police inspector, was reportedly dismissed by the police after he got drunk while on duty in Akowonjo, Dopemu area of Lagos.

TheCable had returned to the area, on various occasions to check if the officers were still indulging in the act, but the area has been rid of stalls belonging to liquor sellers. While gambling spots and agents still remain, no officer was seen near the shops.

When TheCable spoke with one of the gin sellers, it was discovered that the woman and others in the area had been ordered to vacate their stalls but it is believed she still secretly hawks around the area.