The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has warned senior police officers against illegally deploying policemen to provide security for Very Important Persons who did not have the right to such services.
Arase stated that he would punish Divisional Police Officers and other senior officers found to be engaging in the illegal deployment of junior officers, stressing that he would not condone the act.
Addressing officers and men during his visit to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Abuja, on Friday, the IG cautioned policemen against abandoning their duty posts at night, saying he had observed that most of them disappeared from duty by 12am.
He admonished senior officers to visit their subordinates to ensure that they were on duty round the clock, particularly at night.
Arase said, “We have been able to put the Safer Highways back on the road, though the implementation of the Safer Highways has not been as robust as I anticipated and I have had cause to discuss that with your Commissioner of Police.
“You should be able to keep the security space safe, but once it is 12 or one o’clock, one discovers that you people go to sleep. Officers of the command, your visiting rounds should be more rapid. Officers should make the rounds and ensure that your men are on duty.
“The illegal deployment of police is not going to be accepted. People who are not entitled to policemen should not have police attached to them. That one is very important. If you are a Divisional Police Officer or Area Commander, don’t deploy our officers without permission. If you do that and you are caught, severe sanctions await you.”
Arase also cautioned the policemen against collecting bribes from the public, saying that this makes them look like beggars receiving alms. He said that the financial tip cannot translate into any tangible amount.
He challenged the officers to set standards so that the public can respect them, stressing that investigations should be intelligence-driven.
The IG complained that incivility to the public and illegal detention by policemen was costing the Force a lot in court-awarded damages.
He advised policemen against adopting custodial approach to policing and also warned them against dabbling into civil cases. He said that they could also engage in arbitration and mediation instead of detaining individuals and demanding surety for bail.
Arase said that 36,000 police officers were scheduled to attend promotion courses soon, adding that their needs, including feeding, would be taken care of during the programme.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, asked the IG to create more area command divisions for Abuja to enable the police to better protect the city.
