The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu has condemned the prevalent human rights abuses by police officers across the South Eastern parts of the country.
DIG Argungu warned that the Commission will no longer tolerate the serious act of indiscipline from any serving police officer.
The PSC boss, who was represented by Ikechukwu Ani, the Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission made the remarks during his goodwill message at the South East Stakeholders’ Summit on Peace and Security and Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations in Enugu on Saturday.
He said that the Commission will henceforth not hesitate to put its disciplinary processes in motion to see to the dismissal of errant officers who have found it difficult to work within approved boundaries.
Argungu acknowledged that the PSC is aware of the serious human rights violations by some misguided police pfficers in the South East, “who against the Commission’s several warnings to stay away from civil matters have continued to swim in it because of the financial attraction.”
He expressed displeasure, reiterating that the Commission has severally warned that police officers should stay clear of 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,” the PSC leader said, expressing satisfaction that the summit was held in Enugu, the colonial capital of Eastern Nigeria.
He decried that the Eastern region has of late become the hot bed of insecurity in the country and the unofficial headquarters of human rights violations.
Argungu commended the organisers of the programme for bringing the searchlight on the topical national issue, noting that the Commission wholeheartedly identifies with them “on this mission in the South East as the zone needs peace and security.”
He continued: “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.”
The DIG disclosed that 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 have unfortunately turned into toll gates where road users are forced under gunpoint to part with money,” he lamented.
He assured the stakeholders that the region will be free from “these gangs of policemen” who have found it difficult to work within established boundaries.
He lauded 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, saying: “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 Governor Mbah 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.”
