…as Senate summons IG over killings
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has attributed the misuse of firearms and extra-judicial killings by policemen to work-related stress and emotional conditions which disoriented their rationality.
He has, therefore, directed police personnel to revert to the traditional eight-hour work shift from the current 12-hour daily shift.
The directive, he said, was informed by the need to address “a major, age-long occupational stressor which long hours of duty engenders among personnel in the Nigeria Police Force and which occasions depression and abuse of power and other unprofessional conducts.”
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the maiden Conference of Medical Officers and heads of medical facilities in the Nigeria Police Formations and Commands, Adamu stated that henceforth, no police officer should be made to perform any duty exceeding eight hours within a space of 24 hours unless there was a local or national emergency.
He stated, “Arguments have been raised that the resonating incidents of misuse of firearms and other extra-judicial actions by police personnel often result directly from work-related stresses and emotional conditions which disorient their rationality.
“In consideration of this, I have ordered that with immediate effect, the shift duty structure of the Nigeria Police which is currently a 12-hour, two-shift system should be reverted to the traditional eight hours, three-shift standard.”
The IG tasked the medical officers to complement the leadership of the Nigeria Police by striving at all times to guarantee a healthy work-life balance and ensuring that police officers attained the highest possible level of health status that could prevent occupational health stress factors which manifest in fatigue, compromised immune system, heart diseases and high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, irritability, risk of substance abuse and emotional instability.
He noted, “All of these, if not medically managed, could engender unprofessional reactions with fatal consequences to the affected police personnel and members of the public.”
Additionally, the IG pointed out, the NPMS must start to put in place strategies and techniques including cognitive therapy and emotional intelligence models that can strengthen the stress management capacity and operational resilience of all personnel.
Adamu further admonished the police medical department to engage in medical outreaches to communities, educational institutions, youths and children population and other challenged communities with a view to rendering professional medical services.
Meanwhile, the Senate has summoned the Inspector-General of Police(IG) to appear before the upper chamber and brief it on increasing spate of killings in different parts of the country.
This followed a 10-prayer motion by Sen. Shehu Sani at plenary on Thursday.
The bill titled, “Senseless Killing of a Briton and Abduction of Three Others in a Holiday Resort in Kaduna State by Bandits” was co-sponsored by all other lawmakers.
The Senate also urged security agencies to immediately deploy drones and interceptors in tracking kidnappers that were asking for ransom.
It equally urged the Federal Government to set up an inter-agency task force to tackle cases of banditry and kidnapping in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states.
Furthermore, the Upper Chamber urged security agencies to give special cover to foreign workers and tourists.
It also urged telecommunication companies to provide security agencies with information in areas where kidnappings were taking place.
Presenting the motion, Sani expressed concern over the spate of killings
Contributing, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said the creation of state police was one of the major solutions to cases of killings in the country.
He further urged kidnap victims to open up on the hideouts and activities of kidnappers, to assist security agencies in arresting them.
“Kidnap victims should learn to open up and narrate their ordeal so that their hideouts can be traced.
“For instance, some people were kidnapped some time ago and one of them was a customs officer.
“They manhandled him more than their other captors and the ransom demanded from him was more than that of others.
“As they kept beating him a lady advised him to pretend to be a fake customs officer and that was how they brought down the ransom from 10 million.
“From what has happened to the Briton it is time we tackle this menace. It is becoming an embarrassment to the country, so, if it means declaring an emergency it is necessary.
“We need to declare a national state of emergency to enable the government put in place measures to end this problem.”
Sen. Joshua Lidani(PDP-Gombe) said the development if not addressed as soon as possible would greatly affect tourism and investment, among others.
He said, “It has become a routine to observe a minute silence and it is disheartening.
“The implication of the spate of killings in the country is enormous. It affects tourism as countries might begin to warn their nationals against coming to Nigeria.
“Everyday we are inundated with reports on killing and kidnapping; in fact, armed robbery is no longer in vogue. If not tackled we will not have an investment in this country.
“Nigeria is becoming a killing field and this will have an effect on investment and tourism. We need to do something drastic, something unusual that we have not done before.
“We need to mobilise the military to those areas and we should not be shy of asking for help, “he said.
Sen. Babba Kaita(APC-Katsina) called for specific suggestions on how to tackle the problem.
He said it was a collective fight that must not be left for the Executive alone.
The lawmaker said, “we should marshal out plans from the chambers of this Senate to secure this country.”
The Deputy Minority Whip, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha also called for the creation of state police.
He also called for synergy between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) vigilance groups and locals of affected states, adding that such move would drastically reduce the menace.
“We also need massive military deployment to these flashpoints, as well as come up with capital punishments for these crimes.”
Sen. Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara) said, ” the north is at war. Unless something is done, I am afraid that in the next two to three years, the situation might be out of control.
“This has become a business because there is technically no business in the north. The way forward is to fight corruption and set standards.”
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said it was time workable solutions were employed to nip the problem in the bud.
‘’When we talk about the way forward, we need to be honest with ourselves because in addressing these issues we need to be frontal on what has led us to where we are today.
“We must look beyond our political parties and see it as a problem that all of us need to address.
“Where there is a fault, we must be bold enough to say where the fault is and where there are sanctions we must be bold as well to say so,” he said.
Saraki expressed optimism that with the new Police boss, the relationship between the National Assembly would improve.
He said, “you have all been in this chamber for one year and noticed that we could not even communicate, converse or engage with the Nigeria Police.
“You were all here when the Head of Police refused to even come before us.
“How can we work together to move things forward because, at the end of the day, we must begin to sit down with those in charge and discuss what we need to do
