Wives of missing policemen seek closure*Money not enough

*Four months after, whereabouts of missing policemen still unknown

Four months after members of the Boko Haram insurgents attacked Police Mobile Training College, Gwoza, Borno State on the August 20, 2014, killing and maiming many, several others are still missing, with their wives still anxious, fearful and without closure soon insight.

 The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba during the Xmas and New Year celebrations, visited the wives of the missing policemen, giving each N500,000.

On January 5, 2015, at the Police Mobile Force 50 Base, Kubwa Abuja, Abba again visited families of Policemen who have been declared missing following the attack.

Abba, who was represented by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the PMF CP Ibrahim Idris, said the Force was saddened that its men are missing but however assured that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to perform its statutory duties of safeguarding lives and property in spite of all odds.

 He gave each of the six families N500,000 and food items with a promise that salaries of the missing policemen will be paid for one year with effect from August 2014 when the sad incident occurred.

 An appreciative SP Olutoyin Enisenyin, who is the Squadron Commander of the 50 PMF Kubwa, thanked Abba for the kind gesture while pledging the unflinching loyalty of his men to the Force.

The truth however is that money cannot replace a missing husband, father, brother or bread winner. The money however and the promised payment of their husbands’ salaries to them, will go a long way to cushion some things for the women.

Abba should know that for these women, closure is most important. Without closure, they’ll continue to hang in the balance, unsure of the next move. They need to know what had become of their husbands. The Police Intelligent Unit, if such exists should be able to tell the women the truth of what had become of their husbands.

And it would be cruel for the police to know and just continue to keep these women in perpetual darkness and ignorance. They need to have a closure. Food items are not enough. Abba is not doing enough in the case of the missing policemen.