Adamu Talks Tough, Vows to Punish Erring Police Officers 

The acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has promised to deal mercilessly with police officers who commit extrajudicial killings of innocent Nigerians and other unlawful activities. 

Adamu who spoke on Monday in Lagos during an official visit to the state frowned at the recent spate of extrajudicial killings by police officers and vowed that such will longer be tolerated under his leadership. 

He said, “My visit has become expedient in view of the recent trend of unprofessional conducts by some personnel who, in utter disregard of their professional training, international protocols, constitutional dictates, Force policies, and ethical standards, have continued to drag the Force into acts that pitch us against the citizens we were engaged, paid, and statutorily obligated to serve and protect.

“From 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. I must emphasise that enough is enough. The nation and indeed the police under the current leadership can no longer tolerate abuse 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, deviate from accepted police culture and values.

“Our visit is to reinforce the extant Force Accountable Policy which holds any officer professionally and criminally liable for the consequences of their actions, particularly, if such misuse of power resulted into the death, injury or indignity of citizens.

“Towards this end, I am sounding this note of warning loud and clear that any police personnel that insists on being incorrigible by engaging in abuse of his or her powers or misuses his weapons with fatal outcomes and in utter disregard of statutory provisions will be arrested, investigated through our internal disciplinary machinery and if found culpable, shall be dismissed from service. In addition, such personnel will be charged to court for murder or sundry offences depending on his or her level of criminal liability in the instance.

“Furthermore, the line supervisors of such officer, including the Area Commander, Divisional Police Officer or Sectional Head, shall be held vicariously liable for lacking supervision and shall, be similarly sanctioned.”

Officers of the Nigerian Police have come under fire in recent times for their unprofessional conducts which has led to the killing of innocent civilians most especially in Lagos state and other parts of the country. Outraged Nigerians have staged a social media campaign calling for the disbandment of the Police’s Special Anti Robbery Squad popularly referred to as SARS. The #EndSARS campaign has drawn attention to numerous killings and extortions committed by officers of the Unit.