Your Welfare Is Being Taken Care Of, Don’t Commit Suicide- IGP Tells Police Officers

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has urged police officers in Lagos State to remain alive while being committed to their duties of securing lives and properties.

 

Mr Baba said this on Wednesday during a visit to the Lagos Police Command.

 

The IGP arrived in Lagos on Wednesday morning and paid a courtesy visit to the State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, before proceeding to the police headquarters.

 

The IGP, who addressed officers of the Lagos command amidst heavy downpour, urged to them maintain efficiency, discipline, and commitment to duties.

 

“Your welfare is being taken care of like never before, do not commit suicide by being unprofessional,” Mr Baba said.

 

Making reference to the destruction of properties and police facilities during and after the #EndSARS protest, the IGP called on police commanders to lecture their men on the protection of public and police facilities.

 

 

“Never again should your police stations be sacked by hoodlums wielding guns, sticks, and machetes,” he said.

 

He added that officers must learn to control the use of arms, saying “there is a time and reason for their use.”

 

“We must also be civil in discharging our responsibilities. Never should we allow our stations to be overrun to the extent that we will not be able to handle situations because of cowardice or lack of professionalism.

 

 

“We have not got all we need to discharge our duties in terms of welfare, logistics, and equipment. But with the available limited resources, we will do our jobs with more dedication and professionalism.

 

“I want to congratulate us that the government and the people are taking cognisance of our duty,” the police chief said.

 

‘We need helicopters’

Addressing the IGP on the needs of the Lagos police command, Hakeem Odumosu, the police commissioner urged the police chief to release two helicopters to the Command to fortify the aerial patrol and surveillance of the state and south-west region.

 

 

“The Command will appreciate the release of two police helicopters to the Command to assist in fortifying the aerial patrol and surveillance of the Command with a view to tactically tackling some of the crimes being experienced in the state and by extension, in the south-west,” Mr Odumosu said.

 

Mr Odumosu also requested 13 additional water cannons and five gunboats for the Area Commands in the state, adding that the IGP should facilitate the rebuilding of police stations that were destroyed during the #EndSARS protest.

 

He told the IGP that the police in Lagos have arrested 2,228 suspects connected with offences ranging from armed robbery, cultism, murder, hooliganism, and defilement/rape in the past months.

 

“87 arms and 129 ammunition of various calibres were recovered. In addition, 36 stolen vehicles were recovered by the command within the period under review,” he said.

 

The police commissioner said the state was relatively calm and violence-free due to the “proactive efforts of his men.”

 

 

Responding to the requests of the Commissioner, the IGP promised to release some crime-fighting equipment to the police command to boost its arsenal and promote public safety in Lagos State.

Source: Premium Times