IGP deploys police unit to monitor officers on highway duties

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, has deployed the IGP Monitoring Unit and X-Squad to monitor the activities of officers policing the highways during the Easter celebrations.
A statement by police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, said the measure is to ensure respect for the rights of citizens and operational conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Rules of Engagement (RoE) of the Force.
The IGP also ordered all state Commissioners of Police (CPs) and their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) to ensure adequate deployment of police personnel, and operational assets to areas of security interest within their respective areas of responsibility (AoRs).
According to the statement, the Complaint Response Unit and the Public Complaint Bureau, have equally been charged to respond swiftly to complaints received from the general public.
The measure by the Force comes on the heels of complaints by Nigerians about extortion and bullying by police officers particularly at checkpoints.
Some of the excesses of the police officers, particularly members of the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), led to the massive protest in 2020 by Nigerians, particularly the youths, demanding an end to the rogue squad and police brutality.
This action led to the scrapping of the unit by the then IGP, Mohammed Adamu.
Read full statement:

PRESS RELEASE
2022 EASTER CELEBRATIONS: IGP FELICITATES WITH THE NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

• Orders Strategic Commanders to Ensure Round-the-Clock Security of the Public Space
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, in his resolve to ensure crime-free Easter celebrations, has ordered intensive security patrols of all public spaces and critical national assets. Specifically, all State Commissioners of Police (CPs) and their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) have been ordered to ensure adequate deployment of police personnel, and operational assets to areas of security interest within their respective areas of responsibility (AoRs).

ALSO READ: President Buhari preaches love in Easter message

The IGP equally ordered that supervising officers should ensure confidence-boosting, proactive, and high visibility patrols are carried out along the highways, motor parks, train stations, airports, worship centres, recreation centres, banks, and other financial institutions while taking adequate measures to provide a peaceful, crime-free, and enabling environment for religious, cultural and other socio-economic activities to thrive.
In addition, the Commissioners of Police and their supervising AIGs have been directed to ensure proper supervision of the men assigned for these assignments. They must be professional and courteous to law-abiding citizens but firm and ruthless to criminal elements who might want to take the advantage of the festive period to perpetrate their unholy acts.
To this effect, the IGP Monitoring Unit and X-Squad have been given marching orders to monitor and police activities of police officers policing the highways to ensure respect for the rights of citizens and operational conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Rules of Engagement (RoE) of the Force; the Complaint Response Unit, vis-à-vis Public Complaint Bureau, have equally been charged to respond swiftly to complaints received from the general public.

While felicitating with Nigerians, and the Christian community in particular, on the commemoration of the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the IGP appreciates the citizenry for their support and calls on them to continue to cooperate with the Nigeria Police and other security agencies by providing timely information that would help in the prevention and detection of crime.
CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra

Ag. FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA

Support PREMIUM TIMES’ journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
Donate

TEXT AD: To place an advert here . Call Willie – +2348098788999