The Inspector General of Police (IG), Suleiman Abba, has promised that the 2015 general elections will be devoid of any form of rancour and will be accepted by all.
Abba, who stated this on Wednesday during the monthly meeting with the rank of Commissioners of Police (CPs) and above at the Force Headquarters, ‘Abuja, said the mopping of arms and ammunition process would be more intensified.’
He warned that the police would not tolerate any form of thuggery or other vices capable of not making the elections successful, free and crime-free.
The police boss meanwhile stated that 30 policemen are yet to be found since their training school was attacked in Gwoza, Borno State, some months ago.
He however said the police would not relent in the search for its missing officers, adding that it was not impossible for some of the men to have turned up in their various homes and refused to return to the force due to shock and other psychological issues.
“About 30 men are still missing since the incident of the attack on our training school in Gwoza. Sadly, we sleep and wake with this problem and we will not relent in searching for them,” he vowed.
On the role of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) in the on-going attempt to recover Mubi, Adamawa State, from terrorists, Abba said he would rather leave further explanations for the military, noting that the police have always been involved in fighting crimes including insurgency.
“There has been no contemplation to withdraw police from the fight against terror. Even with the takeover of operations in Maiduguri by the military, the police remain in the fight either in the fighting area, or in maintaining law and order in areas that have been liberated or in prosecution of arrested terrorists,” he said.
The IG dismissed insinuations that it had plans to withdraw officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force from the joint security operations to combat terrorism in the north-eastern part of the country.
He said the police have continually discharged their duties creditably and synergized with the military to rein on the insurgents.
Abba warned against the use of excessive force by policemen, and pledged that his administration would curb the malpractice among the rank and file.
He gave the warning, while presenting the Human Rights manuals for Policemen and Human Rights desk officers, prepared with the support of the CLEEN Foundation, the Swiss Embassy and other foreign missions, stating that human rights would be introduced into the curriculum of all police training colleges nationwide.
The IGP also said the manuals would be issued to all policemen so that they can educate themselves on how to relate with the public while carrying out their responsibilities.
Abba who acknowledged that the Force had always grappled with the human rights issue which necessitated the setting up of human rights desks at all Divisional Police stations, assured that the newly introduced manuals would assist policemen to know and respect the rights of Nigerians.
He said: “This is not the first time human rights would be introduced by the police, but in addition to past efforts, every officer will be given a manual to guide him or herself; every policeman would get a copy. Excessive use of force must be curtailed and we seek the cooperation of members of the public to achieve this, he said.(Thisday)
