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Buhari: Few Bad Policemen Extort Nigerians, Carry Out Extrajudicial Killings

NDDC buhari,giwa, ADC, SERAP

President Muhammadu Buhari has defended the Nigeria Police Force in the light of outcries by Nigerians across the country that the nation’s cops often carry out extrajudicial actions against hapless citizens.

While Nigerians believe the majority of the force are ill-mannered and violent Buhari said only a few of the policemen were bad eggs as he urged the police authority to deal with the irresponsible cops.

He stated this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers on Monday in Lagos.

The theme of the retreat is, ‘Repositioning the Force for the Challenges of Effective Policing in the 21st Century’.

Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said, “Which is why the police cannot escape public scrutiny and sometimes criticism; Nigerian people old and young want our Police force to be better and to do better; they want to be even prouder of your service than ever before.

“This is why in some of our urban areas we want to see more compliance with the rule of law and in dealing with Nigerians. Recently many civil society groups have complained about the arrest of young men and women just because they look successful and are carrying laptops.

“Yes, we must apprehend ‘Yahoo’ criminals but we cannot harass young men and women on the streets and in taxis most of whom are merely going about their legitimate businesses. There are also cases of extrajudicial killings and injuries; misuse of weapons and excessive use of force by some members of the force.”

He, however, stated, “This sort of conduct by a few bad police officers must stop, and it is the duty of you senior and strategic
leaders of the police force to ensure that impunity of any kind is discouraged and punished where it is found.’’

Speaking further, the president said, “The Nigeria Police Force led police peace-keeping activities in Congo, Namibia, Angola, Western Sahara, Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, (and) East Timor.

“Locally, in the past one year alone the Nigeria police have between January and this month arrested over 2,348 armed robbery suspects, 1,412 suspected kidnappers, 694 murder suspects, 1,513 cultists, safely rescued 826 kidnap victims, recovered1,660 firearms and 1,612 vehicles.

“In the course of duty so many have paid the supreme price;  while fighting off robbers, kidnappers and other criminals many have been maimed for life.’’

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