The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, yesterday, urged police officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) not to shy away from performing their constitutional responsibilities in order not to put the society in trouble.
Adamu gave the charge during his official visit to the Oyo State Police Command, Ibadan, and the Ogun State Police Command, Abeokuta, in the wake of the EndSARS protests where some officers were killed and police stations burnt.
The IG urged the officers not to be demoralised by the attacks, saying that neglecting their constitutional duty of protecting life and property would let the criminals have a free day in perpetrating their heinous crime acts.
“No amount of insult, no amount of attacks should prevent you from performing your constitutional duty. We encourage you to go out and perform your duty the way you have been trained.
“You must follow the protocol and be civil in doing it. At the point of doing your job, be encouraged and if anything happens in the course of doing it, we will stand behind you but never shy away,” Adamu said.
The police chief, who reminded the officers that the fire-arms they were licensed to carry were not for decoration but to protect life and property of Nigerians, said: “They should be used when necessary.
“When your life is in danger and there is no other means of protecting yourself, you can use them.”Adamu informed the officers that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governors’ Forum were behind them and they should not be demoralised and nobody would trample upon their rights.
He said the President had approved the upgrading of salaries of officers and the Force had made the promotion of officers a commitment, saying those due for promotion would be promoted.
The IGP, at the Ogun State Command, urged the officers to put the incident behind them and come out strong of the crisis. Adamu, who was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Ahmed Iliyasu, said: “Don’t be discouraged, come out in full and perform your duty, nobody can do it. It is your constitutional responsibility and you must do it. No amount of intimidation can prevent us from doing our job.”
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, in his welcome address, said the IGP’s visit would reawake the dampened morale of the police officers in the state.
Ajogun disclosed that about seven divisional headquarters were vandalised in the state with the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Atan-Ota Division, DSP Austin Ogbeche, losing his life.
According to him, the police in the state have returned to their respective duty posts “since it is their duty to protect life and property”.He promised that the Command would remain loyal and be more professional in its desire to serve the people of the state.
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