Ebola virus: IG orders Police Medical Corps to protect personnel

Following the breakout of the Ebola virus in Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the Police Medical Corps do everything within its power to protect personnel and their families.

According to a source, Abubakar does not want police officers to become victims of the Ebola virus, so that the security of the nation would not become weakened.

The IGP’s order came after speculation from some experts, those members of the police force might be highly infected if the breakout was not checked, because, “policemen and women are the first contact at everywhere in Lagos State,” said a security expert, who wishes to remain anonymous.

He continued: “If you to the airports, seaports, borders, you’ll find policemen and women at those places. They’re the first contact at everywhere and should be protected against the virus. I’m happy to hear that Abubakar is being proactive concerning it. When people die in still strange circumstances, it’s the police that get called. How will the policeman know a corpse that died from the virus? They’re also the people that go to different places, no matter the distance or how populated the place, to make arrest. In fact, any suspect can be a carrier and it’s the policeman that gets to slam handcuffs on the suspect, take him to the station, interrogate him and take him to court.”

A police source said that even as the fear about the Ebola Virus enveloped Lagos, Abubakar had already taken steps to protect his men. The source said that the Police Medical Corps Services, the orders of the IGP, has initiated a programme aimed at enlightening police personnel across the nation of the hazards of the virus.

“One major target is to deal with ignorant and myth surrounding Ebola,” said the source. “The Police Medical Corps believe that the first step is to understand the nature of the disease, how it spreads and how you can avoid contracting it. Without studying it, you can’t avoid it even with gloves.”

Another police source revealed that as of Wednesday, the Police Medical has started producing different pamphlets to educate police personnel. One of the pamphlets would be pasted in all police formations and barracks and the second would be those to be taken homes to educate them and their family members.

The Force Spokesman, ACP. Mr. Frank Mba, who confirmed these when called via phone, said that the Police Medical plans to roll out programmes, designed to educate members of the Nigeria Police Force about Ebola virus. His words: “The plan is to educate the personnel against the dreaded scourge, taking into cognizance the nature of the police work, whose personnel come into contact with many people. The IGP is reassuring members of the police force, that their wellbeing is paramount to him.”