Enforcement of restriction orders: IGP cautions personnel against human rights abuse

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, on Thursday, cautioned the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force currently deployed for the enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders targeted towards preventing the spread of the deadly coronvirus disease to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, the IGP also directed that all persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and fro their places of duty.

It stated that the IGP noted that the global community was now in extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of the national life and as such, all police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must show utmost respect to the citizenry.

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According to the statement, “to this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.

“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure guiding this special task

“The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities, shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against the citizenry”.

It quoted the IGP as expressing profound gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times and urged Nigerians to continue to observe all precautionary measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to defeat this pandemic.