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Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 20 May 2021

Source: guardian.ng

IGP urges officers take battles to criminals

Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, has charged police operatives across the country to take battles to the criminals’ dens rather than waiting to be attacked.

He further told police operatives to defend themselves from attacks by criminals and armed bandits in the country.

Usman gave the charge in Port Harcourt yesterday while inaugurating a special squad, tagged, “Operation Restore Peace,” aimed at tackling insecurity in the South-south zone.

The IGP said the operation was part of his strategic action plans to restore peace across the South-south geopolitical zone.
He, therefore, urged police operatives to be professional in their conduct and respect the rights of citizens as they work towards the restoration of peace.

He said: “You are expected to restore security and order in the South-south geopolitical zone in the shortest possible time.

“You are charged to be civil with law-abiding citizens, but ruthless with criminal elements that may attempt to threaten the peace and security of your jurisdiction.

“In furtherance to the goals of this special operation, I charge you to henceforth defend yourself courageously against any armed group that may attempt to attack you or attack any police station or any national infrastructure.

“Don’t sit down in your station waiting to defend yourself; go out and take the war to them. Go out and look for them, just as they are looking for you. They are not spirits. So, look for them and deal ruthlessly with them. Don’t wait for them in your police stations and formations.”

The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said, the state government had zero tolerance for criminality and separatist groups.

Wike, who was represented by the deputy governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, assured that the state government would continue to support the police to protect life and property.

Similarly, the Theatre Commander and Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the South-south zone, Moses Jitoboh, said Operation Restore Peace would certainly tackle criminal elements in the zone.