Police retrieve pistol lost by officer at beer parlour
Authorities at the Nigerian Police MOPOL 39 Base in Osogbo, Osun State, have recovered a pistol that was reportedly lost by one of their personnel at a beer parlour near the base.
Security operatives had been searching for the missing firearm for several months.
According to a source, the disappearance of the pistol at the Osogbo base is one of several incidents highlighting a lack of accountability within the police force.
In fresh updates gotten by SaharaReporters, a police source at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Osogbo disclosed that the two officers implicated in the disappearance of the pistol at a beer parlour beside the MOPOL 39 Base—identified as Inspector Osakpolor Edegbe and Inspector Alak Monday—were arrested on the orders of their Commander, ACP Adekunle Ige.
However, it is alleged that the Commander, who is currently out of the state, failed to report the case to higher authorities, opting instead for internal damage control.
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“The search for the missing pistol has been ongoing for almost a month. The two inspectors were secretly interrogated by their Commander, who chose not to escalate the issue to senior police authorities, a common practice among MOPOL officers in contrast to their conventional counterparts who promptly report missing arms,” the source revealed.
“As pressure mounted, with media exposure intensifying scrutiny on the case, the pistol mysteriously resurfaced from an undisclosed location.
“One of the detained officers was subsequently released, lending weight to suspicions that the firearm had been retrieved from a buyer in a desperate attempt to quell the scandal.
“Inspector Monday Alak had insisted from the beginning that he returned the pistol last year. However, Inspector Osakpolor Edegbe, who had rebooked the weapon and allegedly forged Alak’s signature in the arms register, misled police authorities in a bid to shift blame. Now, Edegbe remains in custody while Monday Alak has been released,” the source added.
Forgery within the police force is a serious offence, but this case underscores deeper issues of corruption and misconduct among officers trusted with arms and ammunition.
Edegbe, described as one of the “bad eggs” in the force, is accused of having a history of implicating colleagues and engaging in questionable activities.
Sources allege that officers like him are responsible for “friendly fire” incidents and could even be involved in illegal arms dealings.
Recently, Amotekun operatives in Osun State disarmed some MOPOL 39 officers escorting an illegal miner along Ibadan Road and detained the VIP at their base in Osogbo.
This development, coupled with the missing pistol saga, further highlights concern over the integrity and discipline of the police unit.
Concerned officers within the force are now calling on the police authorities to intervene and ensure a thorough investigation.
They demand that Inspector Osakpolor Edegbe be summoned to Abuja to account for his activities in the MOPOL armoury and face possible disciplinary action.
“This issue cannot be swept under the rug. The authorities must take decisive action against officers who misuse their positions, or else the public’s trust in the police force will continue to erode,” the source warned.
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