A nongovernmental organization, the Network on
Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN), has condemned the brutal attack and murder
of police officers on election duty in Rivers State.
The national coordinator of NOPRIN, Okechukwu
Nwanguma, said NOPRIN was deeply saddened by the police of the death of the
policemen. He noted that the policemen were ambushed by a violent gang on Election
Day, in Rivers.
According to a report, a military source in Rivers
State said: “The most brutal incidence occurred at Ujju Community near Omoku in
Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen
scampered into the bush. The Mobile Police organized a rescue mission.
Regrettably, the team discovered that DSP Alkali Mohammed of Mobile Police Unit
48 was beheaded along with his orderly. The patrol vehicle was taken away with
weapons, three policemen escaped while five were missing in action. This is the
same area where soldiers of 34 Brigade were ambushed on 20 November 2016 and a
soldier killed. Also on 21 November 2016, 4 personnel of NSCDC were killed and
their weapons carted away at the same area.”
Nwanguma said: “This act of killing police officers
is audacious and condemnable, and we call on the authorities to hold
responsible all the politicians who prepared the ground for the violence that
attended the Rivers State national and state legislative elections by making
hateful, provocative and inciting speeches on days before the election. Some
politicians are on record for making reckless, irresponsible and inciting
speeches and were responsible for arming and unleashing various gangs against
their political opponents in a desperate bid to win the elections by all means,
without regard to the will of the electorate.”
He said that attacks on and killing of security and
law enforcement agents should be considered a heinous crime and must be
severely punished to create deterrence.
“This sad incident has brought to the fore again,
the urgent need to adequately equip and motivate our police and other law
enforcement agencies to enable them provide service to and protection, both for
law abiding citizens and for themselves as well,” said Nwanguma.
While sympathising with the families of the deceased
police officers, NOPRIN urged police authorities to adequately compensate them
for the noble service their deceased ones rendered to the country.
Nwanguma further said: “We call for prompt and
effective investigations with a view to identifying the perpetrators and sponsors
of this atrocious act. It is indeed saddening when police officers die in the
line of duty. But when it happens, such officers should be held as heroes and
their memories must be kept alive.”
No comments:
Post a Comment