Imo attacks: Police is demonised — Ex-police boss 

By HENRY UCHE

Former Commissioner of Police, FCT, Lawrence Alobi, has put forward that the Nigeria Police is currently demonized by the masses.

He said this following the recent attacks on the force’s facilities in Imo State which according to him is as a result of inadequate infrastructure, poor facilities, poor funding, low morale of officers among others.

The former police boss made this known yesterday on Channels TV where he maintained that the police has been underfunded, undermanned, hence the need for the Acting Inspector General (IGP) Usman Baba Alkili to address the above issues as well as poor facilities, equipment, lack of technology inputs and other resources.

According to him, the Problem with the police force could be traced to the foundation on which it was laid from the beginning. He called IGP Alkali to brace up and fix the image of the force saying that the police cannot achieve anything if the people still harbors negative perception about it.

 “We must get things right at first. First, the new IGP should focus on operations- which is the heart- beat of the force. Then posting and assignments should be based on merit and capacity of personnel to do the job. Sentiment should be detached from the job if we must achieve our goals.”

He urged Alkili to tow a different part to restore the public confidence over the police. He also encouraged Officers and Men to be service -oriented as the true essence of Life, noting that, “Money and power should not be our major aim in whatever we do, service should come first. The new IGP must train and retrain officers and men, because untrained oficer is a threat to himself and the society at large. The IGP should democratise the police force and ensure communities are carried along for intelligence gathering.”

He charged his former colleagues to have respect for the rule of law and human Rights adding that lousiness is unacceptable, therefore they must be prepared mentally, physically and otherwise.

“When you are prepared you act proactively not reactively. So we must be creative and innovative. We don’t want this kind of shame again, it’s embarrassing, disgraceful and unacceptable,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, an erswhile Commissioner of Police, Kaduna, Agyole Abeh, who also reacted on the rising social unrest in the South East, said more of such is most likely to happen anywhere in the country, hence the forec must be prepared.

Abeh who expressed confidence in the Acting IGP, said something must be done urgently to redeem the Ignominious image of the force under discourse, saying that, “The challenges of Nigeria Police are enormous. Officers shouldn’t be seen in rented apartment as offices nor seen hanging or sitting under trees, they should be given befitting ambience and well deserved resources to work, and all these can be achieved under sound management and transparent administration of the force,” he asseverated. (Saturday Sun)