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AfricCon Report - Friday From Afric-tv24
AfricCon Report - Friday From Afric-tv24
The Nigeria Police Force has commenced the implementation of a sting operation, laced with deceptive action designed to arrest and prosecute its officers and men committing acts of corruption.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who dropped this hint while fielding questions from State House correspondents after the Sallah homage at President Goodluck Jonathan’s residence, said it was high time the force weeded out corruption within its ranks.
Abubakar was reacting to the recent dismissal of a police sergeant, Chris Omeleze, who was caught on video camera soliciting a bribe of N25,000 from a motorist over a traffic offence in Lagos.
The IGP said, “You can see that we are IT compliant. We know what is happening in the YouTube; we know what is happening all over the world. And because we believe that we have to do what is right, we warn our officers and men. Sometimes we set them up to ensure that we get them on the act. And so whoever is caught in the act is dismissed.”
Noting that he will “not run a corrupt police service”, IGP Abubakar said it was not true that the dismissal of the police sergeant was harsh because the police was ready to prosecute the officer as long as the man he tried to extort money from was willing to testify.
On the call for the redeployment of Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, Abubakar said that the police would not be dragged into politics, rather it would concentrate on carrying out its professional duty.
He said, “The situation (in Rivers) is okay. We are not politicians. We cannot be brought into the politics of this country. Professional police officers are supposed to do what they are supposed to do to protect lives and properties and that is why we remain where we are and we charge the commissioner of police to be a professional police officer providing safety and security for the good people and development of Rivers State”.
On adequate funding for the police, the IGP noted that good times were ahead for the force because President Goodluck Jonathan was passionate about the welfare of the officers and men of the police.
Assuring Nigerians of police continued effort in ensuring a crime-free society, Abubakar thanked Nigerians and the media for their cooperation in tackling criminality which, he said, had ensured relative peace in the country.
He added that the force would continue to do its utmost and collaborate with its partner agencies to rein in crime in the country, while creating a higher level of awareness for Nigerians to be conscious of their security.
