Victor Ezeja
Chairman of the Nigeria Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu, has condemned rising cases of human rights violations perpetrated by police officers in South East, and threatened that the Commission would initiate disciplinary actions against erring officers, which could lead to outright dismissal.
DIG Argungu stated this at the South East Stakeholders Summit on Peace and security and Public Hearing on Human Rights violations in South East, Nigeria which held in Enugu.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelArgungu, who was represented by the Head of Press and Public Relations/ Spokesman of the Commission, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the Commission is aware of human rights violations perpetrated by some Police Officers in the South East.
He said that such officers have, against the Commission’s several warnings to stay away from civil matters, “continued to swim in it because of the financial attraction.”
He said the Commission has severally warned that Police Officers should stop involving themselves in land matters, debt and rent collection, marital disputes and other civil matters and allow the courts to do their duties, “but we have discovered that the allure of filthy money has become their albatross as they have continued to perpetuate this evil act”.
DIG Argungu said the South East summit came timely given that the region has of late become the hot bed of insecurity in the country and the unofficial headquarters of human rights violations.
He commended the organisers of the summit for choosing human rights violations, Peace and security which is currently a topical national issue.
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While emphasising the importance of the summit, the PSC Chairman said the South East zone really needs peace and security.
According to DIG Argungu “the Commission is very much interested in what is happening here, especially as it affects the entire South East.
“We are no more comfortable with the abuse of Office by some security personnel detailed to provide security across the region. We understand there is a high level of insecurity in the zone, especially with the ceaseless and senseless attacks from brainwashed youths from this zone masquerading as freedom Fighters and killing their brothers and sisters.”
He said the Commission has also continued to observe the corruption and extortion that dots all the roads traversing the region” by virtually all the security operatives who are supposed to safeguard the roads and restore unhindered movement of people, goods and services. The road blocks mounted by these security Agencies, he lamented “have unfortunately turned into toll gates where road users are forced under gunpoint to part with money.”
The PSC Chairman told the summit that the South East must be freed of these gangs of policemen who have found it difficult to work within established boundaries.
He commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for the transformative governance that he has brought to the state especially in the area of security. “I am aware that Enugu State has redeemed itself from the Monday Sit-at-home that had crippled the economy of the state and other South East states.
He assured the Governor that the Commission will always stand by him to collectively fight “this war to comprehensively free the zone of banditry, crime and criminality and other emerging security menace in the South East of Nigeria.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
