The head of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase, has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Commissioners of Police in Delta and Imo states, after a series of attacks on police officers.
Arase, while expressing condemnation for the attacks, emphasized that the killed officers were also Nigerians who should be supported, encouraged, and protected by the citizens.
This information was disclosed on Sunday in a statement signed by the spokesperson for the commission, Ikechukwu Ani.
The Nigeria Police Force reported on Saturday that six officers were killed in an ambush in Delta State by armed attackers.
The officers were in Delta to investigate the disappearance of their colleagues in the Ohoro Forest.
This was followed by another assault on police officers from MOPOL 18, Owerri, Imo State, where two officers were killed on Saturday by gunmen in the Okigwe area of the state.
It was reported that the gunmen attacked the police patrol vehicle with dynamite and engaged the officers in a gunfight along old Gariki Road.
In his statement, Arase expressed concern about the increasing number of killings in various states across the nation, and urged the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to reassess the capabilities of state command leadership in the country.
Arase stated, “There must be consequences for these avoidable incidents,” and added that “Any state Commissioner of Police found incompetent, negligent, and operationally/tactically weak should be removed to prevent further police casualties.”
“The commission sends condolences to the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Olukayode Egbetokun, regarding these unfortunate events, particularly at a time when all efforts are meant to be focused on eliminating militancy and banditry in the nation.”
The PSC Chairman expressed regret that the commission had experienced “more than a fair share of these unfortunate events in recent times and called for comprehensive intelligence policing.”
He offered his condolences to the families of the killed officers and stated that it is time for state command commissioners to step up, while encouraging the serving officers to not be disheartened by these unfortunate events but to demonstrate their resilient fighting spirit that the Force is known for to repel this new wave of attacks.
