PSC boss decries rising human rights violations in South East

Vows sanctions for erring officers

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has warned against rising cases of human rights abuses in the South-East, threatening to wield the big stick against any police officer found culpable.

Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), expressed deep concern over the alarming trend, emphasising that the PSC will no longer tolerate acts of indiscipline from officers who fail to operate within their professional limits.
  
Speaking at the South-East Stakeholders Summit on Peace and Security and Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations in Enugu, Argungu, represented by the Commission’s spokesperson, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, made it clear that erring officers risk severe disciplinary action, including outright dismissal.
  
The PSC Chairman noted that despite repeated warnings, some police officers continue to meddle in civil matters such as land disputes, debt recovery, rent collection, and marital issues, mainly for financial gain.

“The lure of filthy money has become their albatross,” he lamented, warning that such misconduct will no longer be overlooked.He also condemned the widespread corruption and extortion at security checkpoints across the South-East, where officers allegedly turn roadblocks into toll gates, forcing road users to pay under duress.
   
Argungu acknowledged the deteriorating security situation in the region, describing it as the “unofficial headquarters of human rights violations.”  He attributed part of the unrest to “brainwashed youths masquerading as freedom fighters,” who engage in violent attacks.
  
The PSC, he assured, is fully committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers act within ethical boundaries while restoring peace to the region.