From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Inspector General of police, Usman Alkali Baba has charged officers and men of the Police force to desist from Political participation, before, during and after the forthcoming general elections in the country.
The IGP handed down the warning on Monday while addressing officers and men of the Kogi police command at state command headquarters, Lokoja.
Let me sound a note of warning to you all to be apolitical before, during and after the forthcoming election,you must not allow yourselves to be used because they will dump your after the elections”.
According to him,”you have a duty and responsibility to uphold the Constitution,to protect the lives and property of the citizens,you cannot afford to fail in carrying out these tasks”.
The IG promised to look into various challenges that be facing them especially the rank and file with a view to provide enabling environment that would bring out the best performance on them.
“We will look into the challenges being faced by the rank and file knowing fully well the a good working environment will bring out the best in productivity. We will provide working tools such as vehicles and communication gadgets that would make their as crime fighters an easy task.”
The IG however requested for cooperation as well as synergy with other sister agencies and loyalty to the constituted authorities in return .
” Give us your loyalty,we will provide,we will provide the leadership
He called on senior officers to engage Community police officers as well as other sister security outfits to assist them in carrying out their duties.
“You need their cooperation and that of other sister security outfits, consider yourself as their partners,you need to be in synergy with them,you need them just as the need you to be successful in your assignments.
If there are no security,we will be like animals farms where the strongest only survive police must see themselves as veritable instrunment of changes in the security architecture of the society. As society grows,so are challenges
Added to the problem of robbery,are kidnapping, banditry,we must rise up to the ocassion as they rear their ugly heads” the IG noted.