Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, shared a story about how he was once “arrested” by officers working under him during an unplanned patrol.
According to The Guardian, Abubakar, who later became Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police in 2012, said he told the story to show the importance of leadership, discipline, and showing mercy when in charge.
He explained that the incident happened on a Saturday when he was heading to his office early for a 10:00 a.m. appointment. As he was driving on Herbert Macaulay Way in Lagos, he made the choice to pull over at a police checkpoint to see how the officers were doing.
“One of the officers, a constable, flagged me down and asked, ‘Good morning, young man. Where are you going in your father’s Jeep?’ He asked for my ID, and I asked to see his first. He didn’t have any,” Abubakar recalled.
Things got serious when the constable called his boss, a sergeant, who also wanted to see Abubakar’s ID. Going along with them, Abubakar let them take him to the Yaba Police Station without telling them who he was.
At the station, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) wearing shorts told Abubakar to go into an office. Abubakar said he refused because the officer wasn’t in uniform, which made the ASP push him. Abubakar pushed back.
He later explained that the officers only found out who he was when a staff member looked at his face and compared it to a picture of the Commissioner on the wall. When they realized his identity, the ASP and the sergeant supposedly jumped out of the window in fear.
Abubakar mentioned that the Area Commander later told him that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), the ASP, and others involved had been held, waiting for his decision.
He decided not to fire them, pointing out that over 100 families came to ask for their jobs back. One person explained that the officer was the only representative of his village in the police force. This made Abubakar understand that getting rid of one officer could harm many others.
He ended by saying that the whole situation taught him an important lesson—that being a leader isn’t always about punishing people. Sometimes, showing mercy can make a bigger difference and teach a more valuable lesson.
Find Verified News At Your fingertips Click The Button Below
