Christian Nwangene
The Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 13, Mr Abayomi Oladipo, has warned police personnel against unprofessional conducts and colluding with criminals within their duty areas.
Mr. Oladipo, gave the warning in Enugu while delivering a lecture to senior police officers during his one-day official working visit to Enugu State.
He made it clear that wearing face mask under any guise is never part of police uniform.
The AIG whose jurisdiction covers Anambra and Enugu States, warned supervising officers against allowing anyone under them to dress in an unauthorized way.
He also urged officers and men to ensure proper dismantling of materials placed on the road while on stop-and-search duty
Oladipo expressed concern that such road block could cause accidents at night or criminals taking over such spots pretending to be police personnel.
He said, “You must be alert at your duty post and do not lose guard about your surroundings as the possibility of attack is there.
“Your families, loved ones and Nigeria Police Force need you to be alive.
The AIG equally warned personnel against corruption as appropriate sanctions any culpable officer.
“Officers must make themselves accessible for compliant by Nigerians and strive to monitor what personnel under them are doing.
This is in order to checkmate any personnel that wants to carry out an act to give the police a bad image.
Colluding with criminals
Oladipo warned those officers colluding with criminals, yahoo boys, ritualists and others in communities and cover crime to desist.
“The Nigeria Police Force is monitoring and praying to God that in no distance time you will be exposed and you will be dealt with appropriately.”
On welfare, he urged all personnel to ensure proper filing and confirmation of their records.
“Issues of next-of-kin should be sorted out and clearly spelt out by all personnel,” he advised.
The AIG commended the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, and the Command for diligence and proactiveness in ensuring the state remained safe and secured for residents and investors.
“The commissioner and command are on top of the game and they are doing very well. I personally appreciate the challenges you go through in policing the state and ensuring safety of all,” he said.
Inadequate manpower
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mamman Giwa, listed major challenges of the Command as inadequate manpower and limited logistics.
He noted that in spite of all diligent and dedicated efforts to bring about lasting peace and safety in the state, there are still challenges of farmers/herders clashes, irredentist group attack and sporadic criminal activities among others.
“However, Enugu State remains the safest state in the South-East and one of the safest states in the country recording excellent human and economic activities flow.
“We are assuring sir, that with deployment of new security strategies, which include the new rural communities patrol of the Command, there will be no hiding place for any criminal and we will continue to reduce crime rate in the state,” he said.
AIG Oladipo toured various mobile police formations, tactical formations, some police area commands, Police College, Oji River and Police Detective College, Enugu within the state.
