Queue: Nigerians Already Angry Don’t Provoke Them – AIG warns Police Officers
……put national interest above personal interest
Chima Azubuike
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 12, AIG Wale Olokode, has warned officers and men of the Gombe State Police command not to further provoke members of the public, stressing that the atmosphere is already charged.
Olokode, made this disclosure on Friday, during his maiden familiarisation visit to the command.
Our Correspondent reports that the zone comprises Bauchi and Gombe States.
According to him, the queues have multiplied ranging from quest to get premium motor spirit, to redesigned notes, adding that policing under such time required caution.
Olokode said, “What we are witnessing is the problem of queue, queuing everywhere. Our society to a large extent is not having it too good in recent time. As I was coming I saw a long queue, me I thought was the queue from the filling station at the end of the queue I saw a bank. It was then it dawned on me that was queue for new currency notes not queue for fuel. After a while I saw another queue for fuel different from queue for new currency notes.
“You should be weary of this, our men should not go there and cause provocation again. Deal with people with courtesy, so that they will see you as friend and trust you so much.”
The AIG noted that the police is usually more critical of its operations, adding that constitution and sanctity of human lives should be upheld at all times.
He disclosed that in his 34 years in service he can attest, “that the police is one of the noblest professions. My experience teaches me that policing has changed and the police is still changing. Police is not just about arresting, prosecution the responsibility of the police in a democratic setting transcends beyond this traditional roles to ensuring a stable democracy, confidence in good governance, creating enabling environment for economic development,” he said.
Olokode used the opportunity to sensitise officers on the need to ensure peaceful electioneering process in the state, adding that ” the desire to ensure free, fair and credible election this will be achieved as it will ensure peaceful environment for citizens to freely exercise their electorate franchise.
“I assure members of the public of police neutrality as well as level playing ground for all. I therefore, call on political actors and electorates to place national interest above personal interest and be guided by the overriding obligation situate all their actions within extant rules.”
He also urged officers to maintain the principle of self preservation, stressing they should not use their weapons indiscriminately.
Speaking earlier, Commissioner of Police Oqua Etim, who welcomed Olokode, to the command noted that the rate of Out-of-school children is a cause of restiveness, adding that his administration has managed to restore relative peace.
Etim disclosed that farmers-herders clash, and other violent crimes have been reduced drastically.
