Segun Atanda/
Nigeria’s number one police officer, acting IGP Mohammed Adamu, spent time rubbing minds with various stakeholders, his men, and victims of police brutality today in Lagos, the nation’s economic nerve center.
He expressed concerns and disclosed steps being taken to end the recurring incidence of unprofessional handling and misuse of firearms and other misconducts by some policemen which have resulted in either injury or death of some unarmed innocent citizens, especially in Lagos State Command.
He vowed that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) will henceforth be held liable for the conduct of their men.
He said, “Our visit is to reinforce the extant Force Accountability Policy which holds any officer professionally and criminally liable for the consequences of their actions, particularly if such misuse of power resulted into death, injury or indignity of citizens.
“The line supervisors of such officers including the area commander, the divisional police officer shall be held vicariously liable for lacking supervision and shall, be similarly sanctioned.”
During the visit, Adamu met with the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the traditional ruler of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, and condoled with the family, friends and well-wishers of the victims of police high-handedness.
He also addressed officers and men of the Lagos Command on acts that pitch the Police against the citizens they are statutorily obligated to serve and protect.
Addressing the over 1000 officers of the Command at the Police College, Ikeja, the IGP said that the “Nigeria Police Force, as a disciplined, transparent, responsible, responsive and accountable institution would never condone any form of abuse of power, overzealousness and sundry unprofessional conducts. He reiterated that such anomalies, aside negating the professional calling of the Police, were unacceptable as they created distrust and disdain between the citizens and the Force, thereby widening the trust gap between the two”.
He also assured the entire public that the Force had immediately embarked on administrative actions and policies directed towards giving a new orientation to the personnel, especially on human rights and international best practices.
While noting that there would be a shake-up in Lagos State, the IGP also directed nationwide training and capacity development programmes on weapons handling, laws and policies regulating the use of force.
Last weekend, police officers shot and killed a 20-year-old lady who was reportedly returning from a club with her partner who is still hospitalized for gunshot injuries.
Adamu announced that officers would begin to use “technologies and weapons systems” instead of firearms for law enforcement in order to reduce extrajudicial killings.
“This will include the use of electro-muscular disruption technology which is commonly known as Taser or stun guns by police for patrols,” he added.
In his welcome address, the Lagos State commissioner of police, Mr Zubairu Muazu, said it was unfortunate the IGP was visiting the state “on such a bad note”.
“The command would have loved to welcome the IG’s official visit to the command on a better note than the one that brought the IG,” he said.
Earlier in a private meeting with the family of the victims, Ada Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Akomafuwa, the IGP commiserated with them and assured them that justice would not only be done but would be manifestly seen to have been done in getting justice for the deceased and the injured.
Responding, the spokesperson of the family of the deceased, Barr. Obuesi Philips, appreciated the IGP for his timely response and appealed to him to ensure that he walks his talk.
At the Lagos State Government house, the Governor commended the IGP for his visit and his timely intervention on the unfortunate, but seemingly recurring issue of excessive use of force by a few cops in the country. He promised that Lagos State Government would continue to work with the Police to find solutions to the challenges of crime and criminality in the society.
On his part, the Oba of Lagos called for the improved funding of the Police.
He said, “No amount of investment in security is too much for a nation desirous of peace.”
He charged the IGP not to relent in his quest at repositioning the Force.
0