IGP to police officers: Be respectful while enforcing lockdown order

Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, has directed state commissioners to monitor the conduct of police officers deployed to enforce the lockdown order.

On Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a two-week lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Before the presidential directive, some state governments had shut their borders and declared a curfew to prevent the spread of the disease.

In a statement on Thursday, the IGP directed the commissioners to ensure members of the force carry out their duty with professionalism.

He said the pandemic has affected the lives of Nigerians, and that police officers must be humane, tactful and respectful while enforcing the directive.

Adamu also directed the zonal assistant-inspectors general of police to ensure officers comply with the standard operating procedure guiding their operations.

“The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has cautioned officers and men of the police currently deployed for the enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext,” the statement read.

“Also, persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to and fro their places of duty.

“The IGP notes that the global community is now in extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of our national life.

“Therefore, all police officers deployed for the enforcement of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must show utmost respect to the citizenry.

“To this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.

“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure guiding this special task.

“The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities, shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions and Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against the citizenry.

“Meanwhile, the IGP has expressed profound gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times.“He urges citizens to continue to observe all precautionary measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to defeat this pandemic.”