The Chairman of PSC, Musiliu Smith, has urged the police to rejig their anti-crime strategies, assuring officers and men of the Force of improved welfare.
He spoke on Thursday when he inspected some of the damaged police formations in the Lagos State Command alongside some retired senior officers.
A statement on Friday by the police spokesperson in Lagos State, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, said Smith called for “thorough investigation into all the cases recorded during the crisis. He emphasised that officers and men of the command should take the ugly incident as one of the challenges and hazards of police job in a developing country like ours.”
IG charges officers to protect themselves against attacks
Meanwhile, the IG has asked policemen to protect themselves against attacks, saying they have the right to defend themselves in case of physical danger.
The IG stated this on Friday during an assessment tour of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Abuja, where he also encouraged the operatives who had abandoned the streets for over five days to return to work
It had been reported that the IG on Friday commenced a tour of all commands across the country to boost the morale of officers and men of the Force. He also visited the National Youth Service Orientation Camp in Kubwa, which was vandalised and looted by some miscreants on Tuesday.
While addressing the policemen under the FCT command, Adamu alleged that the #EndSARS protesters were out to provoke and demoralise the police, noting that the Federal Government was fully behind the police and “will never accept for any police officer to lose his or her life.”
He added, “If the police are demoralised, criminals will take over the public space and we will not let that happen. No amount of insults and provocation will make us shy away from our responsibilities.”
He commended them for their professionalism and efforts to protect lives and property during the protests, noting that adequate compensation would be paid to the families of all policemen who lost their lives during the protests.
Adamu stated, “Inasmuch as we are aware that government is behind us; so, we would encourage you to keep performing your duties. We would encourage you to be professional, to be civic, but if anybody touches you, if anybody comes to assault you, you can also protect yourself.
“When we talk of human rights, the police are human beings; so, the rights of police officers would also be protected. We are sending the message that legally, we have the right to protect ourselves but while we are doing that, we make sure we do that when we are endangered.”
The IG assured the policemen that the government was committed to a holistic reform of the police, which according to him necessitated the establishment of the Police Trust Fund. He said henceforth, “everything a policeman needs to perform his duties will be provided.”