BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI & MITAIRE IKPEN
ABUJA — Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, declared, yesterday, that the era of mounting of road blocks across the country by the police was gone and would not be reviewed.
He said measures including deployment of Police patrol teams to these highways have been put in place to checkmate criminal activities on the roads.
Speaking while decorating newly promoted police officers in Abuja, Abubakar also said henceforth, the police would no longer allow security agencies to take over its constitutional responsibilities.
On the issue of checkpoints, the IG said: “The suggestions that Police checkpoints be returned to the highways because of robberies will not suffice because we cannot continue to employ Police methods that were in practice since colonial days at these modern times.
“Yes initially, when the checkpoints were removed, there were one or two cases of robbery attacks, but now, it has gone down because we have deployed patrol teams to these highways. We cannot continue to put checkpoints on the road for ever. Modern policing demands and relies on patrols, communication and quick response.
“Even when the checkpoints were in place, how many kidnappers did they stop? How many vehicles or persons involved in smuggling of arms and ammunition or robbery on these roads did they stop? Rather, what they were doing was tarnishing the image of the police by involving themselves in embarrassing acts.
Seeks Govs’ support
“That is why I am talking to state governors to assist the Police with patrol vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs. Soon, I will go to Ogun State where the governor has bought 100 patrol vehicles and some APCs for the police to work effectively. Lagos State has provided us with 30 APCs in this regard.”
Aside these measures, the IG said when these facilities and arrangements had been put in place, any state where robbery incidents like highway robbery and such other crimes like kidnapping and gun-running take place, would have its Commissioner of Police queried.
Security agencies ‘ll no longer take over Police duties
Against the backdrop of allegations that some security agencies have taken over the functions of the Police Force especially as it concerns arrest, investigations and prosecution, the police boss warned that henceforth, the Police would no longer allow such security agencies take over its constitutional responsibilities.
The Police officers who were decorated were AIG Dan Azu’mi Doma, AIG Muktari Ibrahim, DCP Wilson Inalegwu, DCP Murtala Mani, ACP Jonathan Towuru and DSP Gladys Okafor,
The IG charged the newly promoted officers to “see the promotion as that of more responsibility. It is not going to be a tea party. The demand from you is higher expectation and performance both from the police force and the Nigerian public and the challenge is for you to justify your new rank.”
via Vanguard
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