The Nigerian Police says its men will no longer be allowed to carry firearms during operations.
Instead,
officers of the Police Force will now make use of electro-muscular
disruption technology known as teaser in place of firearms.
The
Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammad Adamu disclosed this
while addressing men and women of the Nigerian Police Force at the
Police College parade ground, Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday.
Adamu said
the use of the teaser otherwise known as rubber bullet will be used by
the routine patrols, arrest duties and other low-risk operations “as
strategic approach towards reducing incidents of fatalities associated
with misappropriation of lethal weapons by the Police as first line of
response to any threat.”
He was reacting to the spate of extra judicial killings by some policemen in recent weeks.
IGBERE
TV recalls that a 20-year-old Ms. Joy Ifeanyi was shot dead by men of
the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) on Saturday in Lagos. This comes
less than two weeks after 36-year-old Kolade Johnson was murdered in
cold blood by SARS operatives at a football viewing centre in Lagos.
According
to the IGP, between January to April, 2019 “Lagos State has recorded
four incidents of misuse of firearms which have resulted in
extrajudicial killings of young citizens of this country and injury to
others.”
“Its more worrisome that two of these incidents
occurred within the last two weeks. Aside negating our professional
calling, extrajudicial acts of any description or level by any police
personnel is an unacceptable anomaly that creates distrust and disdain
between the citizens and the police and widens the trust gap between
them.
“In perfecting these initiatives, we shall be engaging with
Human Rights Bodies, International Agencies Development partners and
Civil Society Organisations.
“This is with a view to evolving a
united front towards addressing these challenges on a sustainable basis
and within the context of best international practices.”
Adamu
further stated the Force will no longer tolerate the senseless killings
carried out by some of its officers around the country.
“I must
emphasise that enough is enough. The nation and indeed the Police under
the current leadership can no longer tolerate abuses associated with the
Police either in Lagos or any other part of the country.
“I have
already ordered that a signal be circulated to all Police Commands and
Formations warning of dire consequences against any personnel that by
their incorrigible acts deviates from accepted Police culture and
values.”
While warning the officers, Adamu added: “The choice now
is for each officer to either resolve to perform his or her duties
within extant rules, laws and policies or be prepared to be shown the
way out of the system.
“Our visit to Lagos is also designed to
condone with the families of the victims of the recent incidents of
misuse of firearms or other forms of abuse of power by identified police
personnel in the State and to share in their grief.
“It is also
to reassure citizens that as an institution, the Nigeria Police will not
condone any form of abuse of power, acts resulting in misuse of
firearms, overzealous and sundry unprofessional conducts by members of
the police regardless of his rank and position.”
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