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Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police(IGP), Adamu, has warned against the unnecessary harassment of innocent citizens by police personnel deployed to enforce the lockdown and social restriction order of president a Muhammadu Buhari, to curb the spread of the novel corona virus in the country.
The warning is coming on the backdrop of complaints by Nigerians over harassment by men of the Nigerian police.
The IGP in a statement signed by force public relations officer Frank Mba, said he would not tolerate a situation where the rights of Nigerians are infringed upon under any pretext. He said persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and from their places of duty.
The statement reads, “The Inspector General of Police, M.A Adamu, has cautioned officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force currently deployed for the enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext. Also, persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and fro their places of duty.
“The IGP notes that the global community is now in extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of our national life. Therefore, all police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must show utmost respect to the citizenry. To this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.
“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure guiding this special task. The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities, shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against the citizenry.
“Meanwhile, the IGP has expressed profound gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times. He urges citizens to continue to observe all precautionary measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to defeat this pandemic.
“Following reports of human rights violation by police personnel deployed to carry out the presidential order on restriction”
