Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Hashimu Argungu, said at the weekend that the Commission was no longer comfortable with the abuse of office by security personnel detailed to provide security across the Southeast region.
He stated that the Commission was aware of the ceaseless and senseless attacks from brainwashed youths in the zone, masquerading as freedom fighters and killing their brothers and sisters. However, he stressed that this unfortunate development should not be an excuse for security agencies to relapse into corruption.
Speaking in Enugu at the weekend at the South East Stakeholders Summit on Peace and Security and the Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations in the region, he stated that the Commission had “continued to observe the corruption and extortion that dot all the roads traversing the Southeast region by virtually all the security operatives who are supposed to safeguard the roads and restore unhindered movement of people, goods, and services.”
The Summit was organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in partnership with Southeast Civil Society Organisations.
He said: “The roadblocks mounted by these security agencies have unfortunately turned into toll gates where road users are forced at gunpoint to part with money.
“The Commission is also aware of the serious rights violations by some misguided police officers in the South East, who, against the Commission’s several warnings to stay away from civil matters, have continued to engage in them because of financial attraction. The Commission has repeatedly warned that police officers should stay clear of land matters, debt and rent collection, marital disputes, and other civil matters, allowing courts to carry out their duties.
“But we have discovered that the allure of filthy money has become their albatross, as they have continued to perpetuate this evil act. We know that some even go to the extent of twisting a mere land matter into a threat to life, giving the case a different colouration. The Commission is also aware that, most times, these disgruntled police officers write these petitions for the people they want to extort money from and later come to the office to pose as judges trying to resolve matters.”
Argungu warned that the Commission would no longer tolerate serious acts of indiscipline and human rights abuses and would henceforth not hesitate to put its disciplinary processes in motion to see to the dismissal of such errant officers.
“The Southeast must be freed of these gangs of policemen who have found it difficult to work within approved boundaries,” he stated, soliciting the support of the NBA and civil society organisations in the region in the battle to restore peace and security in the zone, as well as to ensure the protection of citizens’ rights.
Also speaking, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General O.T. Olatoye, reiterated their zero tolerance for violations of fundamental human rights by their personnel.
He stated that this commitment is evident in the application of rules of engagement, as well as the Code of Conduct for personnel and Standard Operating Procedures regulating the conduct of troops deployed in internal security operations.
He added that there are human rights desks across its divisions in the country and called on members of the public to explore this opportunity and report acts of violations against them by its personnel in the zone.
