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.
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.’’