Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar,
has warned that any police officers found culpable in the attack on the FCT
Special Anti-Robbery Squad office would be fired.
The IG said “heads will roll” in the SARS should
any officer be indicted in the on-going investigations into the terrorist
attack that claimed the lives of two policemen and the escape of unknown number
of crime suspects.
About 40 gunmen, suspected to be terrorists,
attacked the SARS office in Abuja on November 26 and released a number of
detainees from the detention facility.
Abubakar had set up a high-power panel headed by
an Assistant Inspector-General of Police to investigate the incident which
embarrassed the police authorities and led to speculation that the attack could
not have taken place without an insider’s collaboration.
The IG told journalists in Abuja during his visit
to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, that once investigations into
the incident were concluded, the next line of action would be determined.
He said, “We are not resting on the issue of the
attack on SARS Headquarters. We are still investigating and once we conclude,
we will take the necessary actions but l can tell you, heads will roll in
SARS.”
On his visit to the FCT command, Abubakar said he
wanted to personally assess the preparedness of the command to ensure safety of
life and property in the territory.
He assured the police personnel in the command of
the Federal Government’s commitment to permanently address problems associated
with police pension.
Abubakar said the welfare of the police would be
regularly reviewed to enable them to focus on the duties of securing the
society.
The IG warned that the police authorities
would punish errant officers and men who fail in their duties of protecting
life and property.
IG urged officers, especially the Divisional
Police Officers to be open and courteous in dealing with the public,
insisting that police stations should be open to all and sundry.
He said, “Police station is a public place, you
must allow people to see you, you must be able to see people, you are there to
help the public and you cannot do so if you are difficult to access.
“I appeal to all of us to try and imbibe this
change that we are all talking about in this country, this change must take
place in the police force.’’
Abubakar also stressed the need for synergy among
the security agencies in the country, noting that the collaboration would help
in dealing with emerging societal challenges.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence,
Mrs. Olusola Obada, said the Federal Government would be willing to hold
talks with the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in the quest to find lasting solution
to insecurity in the country.
Obada said negotiation with the sect had not
taken place because the leaders of the group responsible for the incidents of
bombing in the country were not known.
Obada spoke when the Canadian High Commissioner
to Nigeria, Mr. Chris Cooter, and the Defence Attache to Nigeria, Col. J G
Savard, paid a courtesy call on her office in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Minister also said it was the desire of the
Federal Government to ensure that the violence in the northern part of the
country was brought under control and eradicated completely.
She said President Goodluck Jonathan and indeed
the Federal Government would opt to negotiate with the members of the sect
whenever the need came up.
She added that the country would be grateful for
whatever assistance the Canadian government could render in the fight against
terrorism and insecurity in the country.
She said, “We shall be very happy if you can
assist in the area of training our troops, and also some other forms of
assistance that you could give which I would talk to you about. We are hoping
that all these things would become a thing of the past.
“Much as we desire to bring this under control,
to eradicate it, we also believe that if these people are known, there is
nothing stopping us from dialoguing with them.
“But for now, we don’t know them. But I can
assure you that the President and the government are not averse to bringing
peace to the country and if the need arises, we shall engage them in dialogue;
we are not closing that option of dialogue.”
The Canadian High Commissioner said his country
recognised the importance of Africa and the strategic role being played by the
country in the sub region especially in Mali where efforts were on to reclaim
territories captured by militant groups.
He stated that the establishment of bi-national
commission between Canada and Nigeria had resulted in increased cooperation
between both countries in security, politics and economic issues.
Punch
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