Policemen killings: IG begins commands’ tour, Force admits Cops’ morale low
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Adamu, will on Friday begin visits to the police commands across the country to boost the morale of officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force.
It was gathered on Thursday that the morale of the members of the force was low following the killing of no fewer than 28 policemen by hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protests that started in the country on October 8 and lasted for two weeks.
The police authorities were disturbed by the high level of dejection among policemen, hence the need for the IG to encourage them and boost their morale.
It was also learnt that during the tour, the IG would access the level of damage done by the hoodlums, who burnt police stations and looted government and private property.
These came to the fore on Thursday as many policemen said they would not resume until government addressed the killing of their colleagues during the #EndSARS protests.
Following the shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki, Lagos on October 20, hoodlums in states such as Lagos, Edo, Abia and Rivers looted and burnt police stations.
On Thursday, a top police officer said the police authorities were concerned about the low morale in the force following attacks on police stations and killing of policemen.
“The tour by the IG, which is starting in Abuja, is aimed at raising the morale of officers and men of the force, many of whom are not happy that the police were blamed for almost all the problems of the country during the protests despite the fact all sectors have their bad eggs.
“We are not happy with the atrocities of SARS and other bad eggs in the force but we are sad about the violent dimension the protest took. Many of those killed were not hoodlums. Also, we lost fine officers and men, who were not found wanting on their duties. Our policemen are not happy that Nigerians are not concerned about the killing of policemen”.
Over 600 hooligans said to have participated in the looting of COVID-19 palliatives at various warehouses at Jabi-Daki-biu, Idu Industrial Estate and Karimo, Abuja and in other states have been arrested and arraigned.
During the tour, Adamu is expected to address men and officers of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command and encourage them against despondency.
But some members of the Nigerian Police have threatened not to respond to distress calls or enforce law and order across the country until the murder of their colleagues by suspected hoodlums was addressed by the authorities.
Some of the Cops who had been away from their duty posts for the last five days, accused the Federal Government and police authorities of not caring about their safety and wellbeing.
Policemen have been absent from roads, street junctions, black spots and other strategic points for the past five days despite a directive by the IG.
Adamu directed the immediate mobilization of all police operational assets and resources to bring an end to the wanton violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property and reclaim the public space from criminal elements.
But almost one week after the order, most police officers and men have failed to resume for duty while only a few were seen on the roads.
Riot policemen, who were ordered to stop the looting by hoodlums also did not show up during several incidents across the country. The military authorities had deployed soldiers to bridge the security gap following the refusal of the Mobile Police Force Squadrons to respond to the attacks on private and public property.
A leading member of the #EndSARS protest, said the police authority should be blamed for the security threat the policemen were facing, noting that they (personnel) also colluded with their superiors to give thugs a free hand during the protests.
Noting that it was unfortunate that the operatives were facing threats to their lives, the activist said they were also complicit in the situation.
“With specific reference to Lagos, it is the authorities that gave thugs a foothold and same authorities, either directly or indirectly told the police to stand down.
“Now that the situation has gone awry, the police are at the receiving end of what they created by allowing thugs to infiltrate the public in an attempt to dislodge the #EndSARS protests.
“It is unfortunate that policemen’s lives are being threatened. The situation the police have found themselves was the creation of their superiors, the police authority and the government of the day who told them to stand down so that the thugs can go on rampage”.
Another activist expressed sadness over the high number of slain policemen, noting that the police need to speak out about what happened to their men.
The lawyer said, “What led to the death of their colleagues? They should come out and talk about it and seek justice as well. Everybody needs justice, the right thing should be done”.
On his part, a security consultant, warned that there might be anarchy if the police officers failed to return to their duty posts, noting that they were needed despite their deficiency.
He admonished the police leadership to embark on confidence-building measures, noting that the police needed to regain public confidence.
The lawyer also asked the Federal Government to emulate the Rivers and Lagos State Governments which announced financial assistance and scholarship awards to families of slain police officers.
He noted, “Our police are bad but it is not every policeman that is bad, some are good. Now they have killed some of them in spontaneous reaction because of aggravated, accumulated grievances of the people to the actions of the police. What we need to do is to reassure the police that they belonged to us”.