The Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris has described as embarrassing and annoying the recent kidnap of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Sarkin Pawa, Niger State
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The DPO, Superintendent of Police (SP) Amos Aliyu was on Sunday kidnapped around his residence at Turin Fulani by unidentified persons.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja during a meeting with Commissioners of Police and other senior Officers, the IG urged policemen to be careful and protect themselves first.
Idris also said Commissioners of Police would be vicariously liable if anything happens to any policeman under them.
He said: โThere should be more visibility policing. Policemen should be deployed to flashpoint areas to take care of security because the presence of police in those areas would help in the reduction of crime.
โWe must take the protection of our officers seriously. We have a problem; two days ago, one of our DPOs was kidnapped. How can you be a DPO, you have all the policemen under your Command and then you start driving as if you donโt have anybody.
โYou allow the useless kidnappers to pick you and your orderly, it is very embarrassing. We had the same issue in Zamfara state where an ACP going on leave travelled alone. It is embarrassing.
โUtilize the men you have and you must protect yourself first. You can only protect others when you are protected because you are a target.
โThe information we are receiving is that our ACPโs vehicle was abandoned in a bush and he has not been seen which obviously means that he has been kidnapped. How can we be living with such situation? It is becoming an embarrassment. DPOs and other personnel should be careful of their movement.
The police chief further said: โThe CP Niger said there is contact already and they are working on it. Policemen who are protecting others should not allow themselves to be a target. We should be careful in our movement.
โOur officers have to be concerned about their personal safety first because this issue is becoming an embarrassment. CPs would also be vicariously liable for any policeman that is just picked up like a fowl or anything, it is very annoying.
โWe should be careful in our movement. If you notice that an area is not safe, you should deploy men to those areas. We should take their protection very seriously. Our policemen should also be careful with the way they move around.
On the recent law on kidnapping, Idris said: โNigeria Police Force is very glad about the law on kidnapping. With the law which is a death sentence for those that would be tried on kidnapping, the spate of kidnapping in Nigeria would be reduced.
The IG also disclosed that additional policemen would be deployed to join the 17 units who are already on the ground for the Governorship election.
The IG explained that the deployment which would be massive would ensure a credible election which is slated for November 18, 2017.
He said: โThe major challenges we are having now are the election we would be having in Anambra state and one or two other states.
โThe deployment that would be done would involve all commands. We are going to send directives to all CPs for the mobilization of officers who are the Special Unit and the Conventional police for the election.
โWhen you receive the directive, act on them promptly because it is going to be a massive deployment. We donโt have time to delay in our planning and deployment because the election date is too close. It is important for us to prepare so that we can provide personnel and logistics in order for the officers to perform creditably.
โIt is unfortunate that before this election, we had some minor problems especially in the southeast but I believe the challenges have been addressed because we deployed 17 units there and with the additional deployment requested, we are going to take care of security in that location.โ
The IG also hinted on a proper and attractive outfit for traffic wardens and policemen in charge of traffic control.
He said: โWe must take care of the turnout of traffic wardens and those in charge of traffic control. Their turn out must be white. Their armband and others must be white including their cap.
โWhen you go to a country, some of the things you admire is the turn out of the policemen controlling traffic on the road. It adds a lot to regularization of the country. They should turn out properly and look professional. Our men should take it seriously. Especially in major cities like Kano, Port Harcourt, Lagos and, FCT.โ
