The Police Service Commission has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Commissioners of Police in Delta and Imo states following a series of attacks on police officers across the country.
In a statement released on Sunday, the commission’s chairman, Solomon Arase, condemned the attacks and emphasized that the slain officers were fellow Nigerians deserving of support and protection from citizens.
According to a statement from the commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the Nigeria Police Force reported that six officers were killed in an ambush in Delta State while investigating the disappearance of three colleagues in the Ohoro Forest.
Additionally, six officers went missing in action during the incident. Another attack occurred in Imo State, where two police operatives attached to MOPOL 18, Owerri, were killed by gunmen in the Okigwe area.
Arase expressed concern about the escalating violence across various states and urged the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to reassess the leadership capabilities of state Commands nationwide.
Arase, in his statement, said “the killings in some states across the nation have become worrisome” and called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun “to take another look on the capacity of state Command leaderships in the country.”
He emphasized the need for accountability, stating that any Commissioner of Police found to be incompetent should be replaced to prevent further casualties.
“There must be consequences for this avoidable incidents. Any state Commissioner of Police found incompetent, derelict, and operationally/tactically porous should be eased out to avoid these huge police casualties.”
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Arase further encouraged serving officers not to lose morale in the face of adversity but to uphold the resilience and determination characteristic of the Force.
The commission extended condolences to the Inspector-General of Police and the families of the slain officers, emphasizing the importance of integrated intelligence policing to address security challenges effectively.
