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Abia State Commissioner of Police, CP Ene Okon, has warned men and officers of the police in the state to be cautious with their rifles and avoid extra-judicial killings.
Okon spoke while interacting with police officers from Eziama Divisional Police Headquarters and their Ogbor-Hill Division counterparts in Aba.
He stressed that the police were suffering from self-inflicted injuries as a result of improper handling of fire arms by overzealous officers.
His words, “We are suffering from self-inflicted injuries. We have deflacted our ego. We have become an object of ridicule because this gun they bought for us to protect people, we’ve turned to use it to kill innocent people. ln one or two weeks in Lagos, police killed about four innocent persons. Some in a bizarre manner”.
“A young man went to watch a football match. Some policeman went inside a viewing centre and opened fire where the young man, an only son of his parents, was killed. Few days later, a boy and his girlfriend were returning from a night club with no offense. A police inspector shot and killed the girl. When has it become a crime to go to night club? The gun you should use for kidnappers and armed robbers, you now use it to kill innocent persons. You’re carving a bad image for the police and yet we have a law guiding the use of fire arms.”
Speaking further, Okon said, “The very first day you joined the police, you were told about Force Order 237 which guides the use of fire arms. You go for arrest, instead of you to do the arrest in proper manner, the next thing is to fire into the air. The question is, what are you firing in the air? Do you need to fire?
“Even when you are on the range, you’ll always be told to aim your fire on the knee. But your own, knee has disappeared as all you see is heart and head. You ignore the existence of Force Order 237. I think you must be taught again if you still don’t understand it. I don’t want to hear accidental discharge here in Abia. Extra-judicial killing must be avoided because it dents police image.”
The CP admonished officers to be civil with members of the public and treat them with courtesy so that the public will, in return, respect them as well.
