No Room For Extra-Judicial Killing, Abuse Of Power Under My Watch, Says AIG Zone Two

By Frank Oshanugor

Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force serving in Zone Two Command comprising Lagos and Ogun States, who have the tendency to abuse the rights of people and occasionally engage in extra-judicial killing have been warned to retrace their steps.

The Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone Two Command, Ari Mohammed Ali gave the order at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Thursday.

The AIG who assumed office few weeks following his elevation and deployment from Delta State where he was serving as Commissioner of Police in charge of the State, noted that the

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has come with a community policing model that leverages on policing with human face and respect for fundamental human rights.

Ali has therefore charged all officers and men of the Command to key into the IGP’s vision and mission as he would not tolerate any aberration since one major challenge of the IGP is the repositioning of the Police Force and redeeming its battered image.

While emphasising his reason for the interactive session which was primarily aimed at consolidating the relationship he had built with the media in Lagos particularly Crime Reporters for over 20 years, the AIG said “my job here is mainly supervisory but as an operational officer that all of you know, I

would do more than supervision which I have since started, particularly patrolling at night and supervision of officers and men to ensure that Lagos and Ogun States are relatively calm. As you are all aware, once Lagos is calm, Nigeria as a whole can be said to be calm.”

Describing Egbetokun’s appointment as IGP as a blessing to the Nigeria Police Force, Ali said the new IGP “is an amazing mathematical and quintessential officer with an unrivalled quest poised to reposition the Nigeria Police Force with his laudable mission and vision.”

The Zone Two boss stated that the Acting Inspector General of Police “has started well on a right footing by collaborating with the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Dr. Solomon Arase with a view to accelerating promotion of deserving officers and men to put in their best in crime fighting and keeping The nation peaceful.” He described it as commendable.

Reacting to comments and questions from journalists, the AIG promised not to leave any stone unturned in ensuring that cultism, kidnapping and all other forms of criminality in Lagos and Ogun States are brought to the lowest level.

He solicited the cooperation of members of the public in the community policing drive by providing critical information that would help the police and other security agencies in dealing with crime and criminality.

While emphasising the fact that he runs open door policy, he enjoined members of the public to always feel free to report any abuse of their rights to the human rights desks at different Divisions of the police.