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Tag: Nigeria Police Force

  • Plateau: IGP charges 616 newly graduated Police constables on diligence

    Plateau: IGP charges 616 newly graduated Police constables on diligence

    The Nigeria Police Force has graduated 616 constables from the Police Training School, Jos, urging them to remain diligent in their duty to combat crime and maintain order in the society.

    The graduates are part of the 55th regular intake into the Nigeria Police Force, marking an expansion of the Nigerian Police Force manpower capacity.

    The ceremony, held at the police training ground in Jos, saw the induction of 504 male and 112 female constables into the police service, which cut across Plateau and Taraba states.

    Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), commended the new recruits for their dedication and commitment.

    Represented by Polycap Emeka, an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, the IG emphasised the importance of the new graduates to the force, noting that their addition would go a long way in addressing the increasing demands on the police force to maintain law and order across the nation.

    He further stated that the recruitment would enhance security efforts and strengthen policing in the country.

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    Egbetokun reminded them that policing is more than just a career; it is a vocation that requires integrity, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.

    He urged the constables to make the most of their training and uphold the values instilled in them.

    “Your training is just the beginning of your journey. You must continue to learn and grow in your duties, the protection of citizens’ rights and the rule of law should always be your primary focus”.

    The IG also called on Nigerians to support the police force in its efforts to improve security and maintain public order.

    He highlighted that policing is a collaborative effort, and the active cooperation of citizens is crucial to the success of law enforcement initiatives.

    “Make their jobs easier by reporting suspicious activities and helping them in their tasks,” he urged the public, acknowledging the importance of public support in ensuring the success of the police.

  • JUST IN: Nigeria Police Force begins ‘No chance 4 one chance’ campaign

    JUST IN: Nigeria Police Force begins ‘No chance 4 one chance’ campaign

    The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) launched the ‘No Chance 4 One Chance’ campaign on Tuesday, January 23.

    The campaign is centered around citizens having easy access to contact the police when they see suspicious activities especially as it relates to kidnapping.

    The NPF posted the contacts people can reach when they have to report something on their official X page.

    Here are some of the contacts:

    Facebook: @ngpolice

    Twitter: @PoliceNG

    Read Also: Report police officer who forcefully takes your phone, FPRO Tells Nigerians

    Instagram: @nigeriapoliceforce

    Email: pressforabuja@police.gov.ng

    Website: npf.gov.ng

    Complaint response unit: 08057000001, 08057000002

    Whatsapp: 08057000003

  • Time to leave

    Time to leave

    Contrary to the existing rules, some members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have overstayed their time in the organisation, and they know it. But for reasons best known to themselves, they are unwilling to retire.

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, observed in a recently publicised internal communication “the emerging and disturbing trend in the Nigeria Police Force wherein officers upon attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age refuse to proceed on retirement.”

    He also noted that the situation “is contrary to the provisions of the public service rule,” adding that “all actions taken by the said officers for the Nigeria police are null and void as a result of expiration of service duration.”

    He ordered police formations and commands to “immediately extract a letter of voluntary retirement from such officers.”  The police boss said: “The police authorities need to publish all officers that have violated their service retirement age.”

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    Indeed, there are indications that the police authorities are considering a review of the retirement age and tenure of service, and may extend them to either 65 years of age or 40 years in service. The Police Service Commission (PSC), headed by Solomon Arase, a former IGP, was reported to have made those recommendations to Egbetokun, towards reforming the police force.

    Also, in August, the Committee of Retired Inspectors General of Police endorsed a review of the retirement age and service tenure in a communique issued at the end of their retreat in Ibadan, which focused on “strategic contribution to effective policing in Nigeria.”

    The former police bosses argued that there was a need for a re-evaluation of the retirement age and tenure of service, saying, “This should be by extending the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and tenure of service from 35 to 40 years, whichever comes first.”

     Thinking of reviewing the existing rules on police retirement age and service tenure, and presenting arguments to support the new thinking, may well be positive developments.

     But the reality is that the rules have not changed. Those affected by the rules must not remain in the organisation, possibly expecting the rules to be changed in their favour.

    It is ironic that police officers who are supposed to enforce the law are acting like lawbreakers. The affected members of the NPF should not wait to be forced to retire. If their time is up, they should just leave.       

  • Police, army clash over slain officers, civilians

    WHAT went wrong?

    That was the question on Thursday as the police recovered from the initial shock of losing three policemen who were on a mission to arrest a suspected kidnap kingpin.

    A joint army and  police committee is to probe the killing of the officers and three civilians who the army claimed died in an exchange of gunfire.

    The police said the officers were murdered in cold blood in Taraba State.

    The incident got President Muhammadu Buhari’s attention on Thursday. He met with security chiefs at the State House, Abuja to discuss the security situation in the land.

    The three policemen are Inspector Mark Edaile and Sergeants Usman Danzumi and Dahiru Musa. Also killed on Tuesday was a yet unnamed civilian.

    Two more civilians who sustained gunshot wounds died early yesterday.

    Troops of 93 Battalion, Takum, had pursued and exchanged fire with some “suspected kidnappers”, who turned out to be members of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    The three policemen, who were on a covert assignment, died from gunshot wounds and other members of the team were injured.

    At the meeting with the President were: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Gabriel Olonishakin; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Ibok-Ete Ibas; Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Buratai and the representative of Inspector-General Mohammed Adamu.

    Air Marshal Abubakar, who briefed State House reporters after the meeting, said that the council evaluated management of internal security operations all over the country.

    Stressing that the meeting was satisfied with the efforts being taken, he said that substantial progress are being recorded in all the areas of conflicts.

    On the Taraba incident, Air Marshal Abubakar said: “The council also decided that the unfortunate incidents in Taraba State in Ibi, a committee will be setup under the defence headquarters, set up by defence headquarters to critically look into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident.

    “Finally, we also want to assure Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies would continue to work to ensure the security of Nigerians and to also ensure that no individual or group of individuals undermine the territorial integrity of Nigeria. That, in a nutshell, is the outcome of this meeting.”

    Asked if the council discussed using drones to fight crimes as earlier pledged to Southwest leaders, the Chief of Air Staff said: “Technology will continue to play a very critical role in resolving security challenges in Nigeria.

    “All the services are using one technology or the other in order to ensure that our country is secured.

    “So security will continue to play a role and we are also looking at other areas of technology that are not currently in use to ensure that we put together all that is required to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.

    Faulting the Army’s explanation that soldiers took the undercover IRT operatives attacked on Ibi-Wukari Road for kidnappers, the police posed many questions.

    The 93 Battalion soldiers on Tuesday opened fire on a white bus marked LAGOS MUS564EU conveying the undercover policemen and a suspected notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Wadume.

    Also killed was a civilian while other policemen sustained serious injuries, Deputy Commissioner (DCP) Frank Mba said in a statement on Wednesday night.

    A similar incident, which resulted in the death of three policemen under curious circumstances played out between soldiers and policemen in Niger State in 2017.

    Read Also: Killing of Police: Buhari orders Army to investigate incident

    Last year, two policemen were killed and their commander seriously wounded after they were attacked by soldiers in Yobe State.

    Reacting to the statement by the police, army spokesman Sagir Musa, a Colonel, claimed that the troops acted on a distress call, suggesting that Hamisu was abducted by suspected kidnappers.

    He claimed that the bus refused to stop at three checkpoints, adding that the policemen fired the first shots. The soldiers, he said, retaliated.

    Musa said: “On August 6, troops of 93 Battalion Takum, while responding to a distress call to rescue a kidnapped victim, exchanged fire with the suspected kidnappers along Ibi-Wukari Road in Taraba State. The suspected kidnappers numbering about 10 and driving in a white bus with registration number LAGOS MUS564EU refused to stop when they were halted by troops at three consecutive check points.

    “The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the troops. It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers who were obviously armed opened fire at the troops sporadically, thus prompting them to return fire.

    “In the resultant fire fight, four suspects were shot and died on the spot while four sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds and two others reportedly missing.

    “It was only after this avoidable outcome that one of the wounded suspects disclosed the fact that they were indeed policemen dispatched from Nigeria Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja for a covert assignment.

    “Following inquiries from a Police Station officer who was asked by the commander of the army troops whether he was aware of any Nigeria Police team being dispatched to operate in the LGA, the Divisional  Police Officer of Ibi responded that he was not informed about any operation by the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, thus lending credence to the distress call from members of the community that the suspects who turned out to be policemen on a covert mission were rather suspected kidnappers.

    “This incident is indeed quite unfortunate and could have been avoided through proper coordination and liaison as the Nigeria Police Force are partners in the fight against crimes such as kidnapping, amongst myriads of other internal security threats confronting our nation of which the Nigeria Police is the lead agency.

    “In order to avert future occurrences of this nature, the Army Headquarters and the Force Headquarters of the Nigeria Police have agreed to constitute a joint investigation 0anel to be headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, to investigate and report on the true circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

    “Therefore, until the Joint Investigation Panel concludes and submits its report, it will be premature to officially conclude and speak on the real circumstances that caused this unfortunate but very avoidable incident.”

    The police rejected the military’s explanation, which they described as defensive.

    In a statement yesterday, the police noted that the service was attempting to justify an unprovoked and unwarranted murder of the three policemen and a civilian, injuring others who were on a legitimate duty.

    In the statement signed by Mba, the police asked the army to tell Nigerians the whereabouts of Alhaji Hamisu Wadume, expressing displeasure at the continuous use of “suspected kidnappers” to describe the policemen days after the army had known that they were actually cops on legitimate national assignment.

    Mba said: “In the best tradition of Esprit de Corps, Inter-Agency Harmony and National Interest, the Nigeria Police Force would naturally have kept quiet, but it has become imperative to set the record straight by addressing the obvious distortion of facts inherent in the press release by the Nigerian Army.

    “The most important question arising from the Nigerian Army Press Release is: Where is Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume? Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a millionaire kidnapper arrested by the Police but paradoxically treated as a ‘kidnap victim’ by the soldiers and subsequently ‘rescued’ by them. Where is he? Where is the rescued kidnapper?

    “Secondly, the press release was silent on the source of the alleged distress report or identity of the complainant, on the strength of whose report the Army claimed had informed their decision to engage in the purported chase and rescue operation. Needless to state that in the true spirit of transparency and accountability, the Nigerian Army ought to have arrested the purported distress caller – if any – for obviously and deliberately furnishing them with false and misleading information. Besides, such arrest should, in fact, be made public!

    “Thirdly, it is not true that the policemen failed to identify themselves as alleged in the press release. The video on the incident, now viral, wherein the voice of one of the soldiers was heard loudly proclaiming that the policemen were from the Force Headquarters, Abuja speaks volume.

    “Besides, the presence of the IRT personnel was well known to the Taraba Police Command as the operatives were officially and properly documented not only at the State Command Headquarters but also at the Wukari Area Command and the Ibi Divisional Headquarters. As a matter of fact, some of the Detectives from the Taraba State Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were part of the operation.

    “The Force also considers it insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic for the press release by the Army to continue to describe policemen on lawful national assignment as ‘suspected kidnappers’ long after it had become crystal clear to the Army that these are Law Enforcement Officers who unfortunately were gruesomely murdered in the line of duty by Nigerian soldiers attached to 93 Battalion, Takum.

    “In the final analysis, we leave the Nigerian Army authorities to provide Nigerians with answers on the following questions emanating from their press release: Where is the notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume ‘rescued’ by the soldiers? How and why was Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume released by the soldiers? How could a kidnap suspect properly restrained with handcuffs by the police escape from the hands of his military rescuers?

    “If Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume is a ‘victim of kidnap’ as claimed, and properly rescued by soldiers, why was he not taken to the Army Base for documentation purposes and debriefing in line with the standard operating procedure in the Nigerian Army?

    “Why were the police operatives shot at close range even after they had identified themselves as police officers on legitimate duty as evident in the video now in circulation?”

    Police sources, who condemned the attack, expressed joy that the Force Headquarters took action this time around by letting Nigerians know since it has happened time and again.

    They said: “That of Niger State was not resolved till today. The truth is that too many things are not going right. Why do you think insecurity has continued to fester?

    “Issues of interagency rivalry, conspiracy and sabotage are very common. I hope that this time around, the government will take action and ensure that all those responsible are severely dealt with.”

     

  • Why we named IMN terrorist group, by IG

    The Police have shed more light on why the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) was proscribed.

    Inspector General (IG) Mohammed Adamu, during a meeting with other senior police officers in Abuja, highlighted the reasons for the proscription.

    Adamu said the IMN was “pledging allegiance to foreign countries from where they are enjoying political, financial and training support with the aim of advancing their destabilising intents within Nigeria”.

    Other reasons include: “Unauthorised blocking of public highways, engagement in illegal roadblocks, imposition of illegal curfews and checkpoints, raids on security assets, prevention of arrest of their members, invasion of court premises to abort legal proceedings involving IMN members, refusal to submit to ordinary security checks and attacks on security agents, which led to the death of several Nigerians;

    “Setting up of a para-military guard known as ‘HURRAS’ through which IMN has been terrorising local residents. They have also instituted unregistered security outfits and performed paramilitary ceremonies, hoisting of flags, combat exercises, parades and inspection by the IMN leader reminiscent of a state authority;

    “Provocative preaching and hate speeches aimed at inciting members against non-members while working towards its agenda of creating an Islamic State in Nigeria and challenging the legitimacy of the Federal Government in favour of Islamic government, non-recognition of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, non-recognition of state authority, non-recognition of our democratic values and disrespect for our judicial processes.”

    The police boss added: “The IMN has over the years manifested its penchant for launching attacks on Nigerians and the symbols of state authority. Since 2018 till date, the IMN has engaged in coordinated and organised violent protests within the Federal Capital Territory.

    Read Also: MURIC endorses proscription of Shiites

    “Two weeks ago, the IMN extended its violent protest on July 9, 2019 to the National Assembly in the course of which they violently attacked and fatally injured security operatives in an attempt to overrun the National Assembly and threaten the nation’s democratic order.

    “The protesters overwhelmed the first gate of the complex, inflicting damage on the security post, and marched on to the second one just before the main complex while the lawmakers were in session. The protesters also damaged a police vehicle and several other vehicles belonging to visitors, lawmakers and staff of the National Assembly, who also sustained varying degrees of injuries.

    The IG added that on July 22, 2019, the IMN members again launched another vicious cycle of violent protest around the Federal secretariat during which they set a sub-station of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) containing a truck and an ambulance on fire.

    According to the police boss, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usman Umar, in charge of Operations at the FCT Police Command and Precious Owolabi, a National Youth Service Corp member in the FCT, were killed and several others injured with many properties destroyed by them.

    “The violent activities of IMN under the guise of clamouring for the release of their leader, who is being detained on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction in Kaduna State, has not only confirmed their disdain for due legal processes, but has heightened tension and insecurity in the country in a manner that confirms that their motivation is to destabilise the country.

    But, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onayeikan on Tuesday described the proscription of the Shi’ite movement by the Federal Government as an error.

    What this meant, Onaiyekan said, is that other religious beliefs in the country are under threat as the government could simply obtain a court order and proscribe them.

    He said this while speaking to reporters in Abuja on the schedule for the celebration of his 50th priestly ordination and the launch of a book  in his honour titled, ‘Thy will be done: A portrait of John Cardinal Onaiyekan,’ slated for tomorrow.

    The cleric  said Nigerians must press the government to respect the rights of religious groups to exist and operate in the country.

    He also complained that the 43 ministerial nominees confirmed by the Senate are too many to run government.

    His words: “The proscription portrays us as a country where government can wake up one day, get a court order from nowhere that a particular religious group is proscribed. If we allow that to go, it means Catholics and my own religion too can be proscribed any day by any government who manages to get any judge to issue an ex-parte or non ex-parte order.”

    The cleric stressed that the security situation had worsened in the last five years under the current administration, noting that Nigerians were no longer safe on the roads.

  • Police smash kidnapping gang terrorising Abia

    The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force said that it has smashed and arrested some members of a kidnapping gang that have been terrorizing residents of Aba, the commercial heartbeat of the state and its environs.

    The arrest, our reporter gathered was made at Ebenma Street off Ogbor Hill in Aba North Local Government Area of the state.

    It was learnt that the leader of the gang who was identified as Okpakpa and also popularly known as Capo was arrested with four other members of the gang at the weekend by police operatives from Ndiegoro Police Division (Cameroun Barracks).

    While it was yet to be verified if the gunmen were arrested with arms, sources within the police in Aba claimed that the gang has been unleashing terror on innocent Aba residents over the past weeks.

    The sources stated that police have launched manhunt on other members of the gang said to be at large.

    According to the State Commissioner of Police, CP Eneh Okon who spoke to our reporter in a telephone interview confirmed that the suspects were in police custody as the time of filing the report.

    CP Okon, while corroborating that the gang has been terrorizing residents of Aba and its environs in the past weeks, added that the gang members have been on the wanted list of the Abia State Police Command.

    Read Also: Police arrest 20 bandits in Sokoto

    He said that men of the Ndiegoro Police Division swooped on the hoodlums at the said location at the weekend after their intelligence paid off while they were trailing the gang and monitoring their nefarious activities in Aba and its environs.

    The Abia Police boss who stated that the suspects have been giving useful information since their arrest said that investigation into the matter is still ongoing.

    Our reporter who recalled the killing of former Enyimba International Football Club player; Christian Jacob by unknown gunmen reports that residents of Ogbor Hill who have been living in fears recently over the activities of gunmen in the area had called on heads of various security agencies in the state to come to their rescue.

    Some of them who spoke on the arrest of the gang members on Tuesday expressed happiness with the development and went further to call for more actions from the security agencies to nip rising crime in the area in the bud.

  • 545 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers arrested so far

    The Nigeria Police Force said 545 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers from different parts of the country have been arrested between January and the first week of May, 2019.

    The Police said it also recovered 105 assorted weapons plus a large cache of ammunition.

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    “Between January 2019 and the 1st week of May, 2019, a total of 270 suspected kidnappers were arrested, 275 suspected armed robbers were arrested and 105 assorted weapons plus a large cache of ammunition recovered.”

     

    Details shortly…

  • Women protest illegal detention of nursing mother, 9-month old baby

    A civil society group under the aegis of Women Arise for Change Initiative Wednesday took to the streets, protesting against an alleged illegal detention of a nursing mother, and her nine months old son by the Zone 11 of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The protest which was led by the President of Women Arise and the winner of the American Government’s Award of International Woman of Courage, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin had over 200 women and men protesters who defied the scorching sun to express their displeasure over the illegal detention of Mrs. Rofiat Oladepo and her son, a minor, a nine months old who were arrested and kept in custody of the Nigeria Police at the Zone 11 Headquarters in Osogbo in lieu of her husband.

    The organization described the action of the police as a violation of the victims’ universally recognised   fundamental human rights and the law of the land.

    In her remarks while being received by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Zone, AIG Leye Oyebade and his management team, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin asserted that, “We are pained and disappointed that the Nigeria Police held in custody a nursing mother and her baby, in lieu of her husband.  Not only were they arrested and detained by proxy, they were also detained beyond the constitutionally sanctioned period. It is most nauseating to learn that Mrs. Oladepo and her baby who were arrested on the 24th April, 2019 at Dural Toaheed, Oke Anu area of Ede and taken to Zone 11, Gbogan road, Oshogbo, were kept in inhuman conditions, only to be released later and given the sum of N500 (five hundred Naira) only as their transport fare back to Ede”.

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    Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin further informed AIG Oyebade that since their release from Police custody, Mrs. Rofiat Oladepo and her baby have been hospitalised.

    She therefore demanded that the officers and men of the Nigerian police who conducted such unprofessional and illegal act be unmasked and brought to book while also requesting for the payment of medical bills being incurred by the victims at the hospital and immediate Public apology to Mrs. Oladepo and her 9-months old son.

    While responding to the demands of Women Arise President, AIG Oyebade appealed to the protesters to please stay further action as he would carry out immediate investigation into the matter and ensure that justice is done forthwith. “One of the hallmarks of our ethics is policing with the fear of God aside the general rule of policing with integrity.” AIG Oyebade said.

    He further said that such impunity would never be allowed to thrive under his purview, as he further expressed the willingness of the Nigeria Police Force, under the incumbent leadership, to collaborate with the civil society in promoting a people’s friendly police force that will ensure total compliance with human rights violations.

     

  • Police partner telecoms companies to curb kidnapping

    The Nigeria Police Force and telecommunication companies have disclosed their readiness to establish a nationwide surveillance system, aimed at reducing cases of kidnapping and other crimes in the country.

    The system is expected to be connected to the existing Global System of Mobile (GSM) cell sites across the country.

    The Police revealed that all the telecommunication companies will provide cameras that will be installed on each telecoms masts across the country.

    This was disclosed by the Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu at the Force headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday during a meeting with telecommunication stakeholders

    The IG who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Information and Communication Technology, DIG Godwin Nwobodo said the interventions will help curb the rate of kidnapping which he said has reached an alarming and embarrassing level.

    He said: “The advent of Global System of Mobile (GSM), communication in Nigeria brought about a lot of positive innovations including integrating the country into the globalized world. These positive trends came with attendant negatives such as increase in crimes including increase in armed robbery, transnational crimes, insurgency and kidnapping among others.

    “It is common knowledge that GSM communications enhances planning and coordination of these criminal activities. These crimes especially kidnapping has become so prevalent all over the country and has reached an alarming embarrassing level, necessitating urgent and drastic interventions.”

    On how the partnership will work, the IG said: “The intervention from the NPF and sister security agencies will necessitate partnering with telecommunications companies in deploying a nationwide surveillance system via the existing GSM cell site.

    “This will entail the provision of two surveillance Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras each by the telecoms companies on all telecom masts across the country. The camera is cost effective and has a great outdoor performance and is currently used in China and Dubai. The cameras with their Internet Protocol (IP) address will in turn be remotely connected to the nearest Divisional Police Stations, Area Commands, Command and Control centre or server room at the police headquarters, Abuja.

    “The telecoms operators are mandated to provide at least 200 sim card per state to be used by the police body cam and vehicular system with unlimited data plan to support the project as part of their corporate social responsibility.”

    He also urged the telecommunication providers to give it access to short code or emergency number ‘199’ or ‘999’.

    He said: “Before now, the defunct NITEL provided short code emergency number 199 that is routed to all police control rooms nationwide but when NITEL stopped functioning, this service became unavailable to the Force.

    “I wish to urge all stakeholders in the telecommunication service providers to help the Force in providing access to short code or emergency number 199 or 999 that will be designated to the Force to be routed to all our control rooms nationwide. This will help us in serving you better and discharge our statutory function to the nation.”

    The Force also urged the stakeholders to assist it in establishment of an ICT Centre and e-library that will enhance its capability.

    Also speaking, the chairman of Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo while pledging the support of the stakeholders, urged the IG to direct his men to protect its infrastructure and not to be involved in tampering or preventing access to telecom sites by operating staffs.

    He also sought the support of the IG to arrest and persecute anyone that attempts to vandalise or close down its infrastructure.

    Other request made by Adebayo include: “The IG should direct all police commands to kindly and strictly enforce taxation demands pursuant to court orders only as it were done before  and enforce security of telecoms infrastructure in volatile areas.

    “Telecoms infrastructure in police formations across the country should be free of charge as they also constitute and declare as security infrastructure.”

  • Police to migrate from use of lethal weaponry

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has commenced the process of migrating from total dependence on lethal weaponry as first line of operations to use of less lethal weapons like Taser or Stun Guns.

    The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, made the disclosure at the inauguration of Zonal Security Stakeholders Forum held at Zone 11 Command headquarters along Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State capital.

    Represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Logistics at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, the IGP said he addressing the root factors that engender conflict and distrust between the citizens and the police.

    Adamu, who said police authorities are concerned about issues of misuse of fire arms and sundry abuses of power, further disclosed that under the new policy, personnel on low risk policing duties like routine patrols, arrest duties and civil disorder management will be armed with Taser or Stun Guns as a strategic approach to reduce incidents of fatalities associated with misapplication of lethal weapons by the police when faced with low level threats.

    The IGP ordered that shift duty structure of police currently at 12-hours, 2 shifts system be reverted to the traditional 8-hours duty shifts standard.

    He said: “The import of this order is that, henceforth, no police personnel should be made to perform any duty exceeding 8 hours within a space of 24 hours unless there is a local or national emergency. To further strengthen this, the Force Medical Service of the Nigeria Police has been directed to introduce emotional intelligence, stress management and cognitive therapy enhancement of psychological and emotional stability of all police personnel while on duty.

    “All these initiatives are directed to close the trust gap between the police and the citizens, create a conducive condition for partnership between the police and the citizens and enhance our potentials for the attainment of our internal security mandate within the context of the principles of community policing.”

    Osun State governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prince Wole Oyebamiji, pledged continued support for the police.

    Earlier, the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 11 comprising Osun, Oyo and Ondo State Police Commands, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, said the idea of security stakeholders’ forum was muted “out of burning desire and uncommon willingness to provide robust security for the people of the zonal command.

    In his remarks, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, called for adequate funding of the police to be able to perform to expectation of Nigerians.

    Oba Akanbi also advocated for a legislation that will ensure traditional rulers are financed to be able attend to local issues as the closet to the grassroots.

    In attendance were the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, Larooye II, the Oloba of Oba-Ile, Oba Kunle Oyeyemi, the three police commissioners for Osun, Oyo and Ondo States.