Yemi Akinsuyi
2 December 2008
Lagos — Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr. Parry Osayande, has said that commissioners of Police would henceforth be sanctioned for cases of extra judicial killings within their commands.
Osayande, who made this disclosure yesterday while on a two-day visit to Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Lagos, called on commissioners of various police commands to stop covering up for any policeman or officer, caught in the act of criminality. The PSC boss, while addressing a crosssection of senior police officers in the zone also said any policeman or officer, caught escorting contraband or performing any illegal duty would also not go unpunished.
"It is obvious that the Force is rotten, we are poised to reposition it and correct all the wrongs so far. That is why any commissioner of Police, whose command records any extra judicial killing would be banned from holding any command position in the country.
Your relations could be victims of extra judicial killings; it could happen to anyone at any time, therefore, we have to guard against taking people's lives. I have also been told that some of these commissioners do cover up for some of these criminals in police uniform, stop joining hands with criminals to perpetrate evil. Set good examples to those under you and expose any of them caught in any criminal act
"What is common nowadays is for a policeman or woman sitting in front of a vehicle conveying contraband goods, anyone caught doing this would face the music. Policemen are not supposed to be a luggage carrier for their superiors or whoever, therefore, this should also stop," he said
Anyone caught collecting bribe would be dealt with. We have to be discipline for the force to move forward," he said.
Osayande, while reacting to the case of 10,000 policemen and officers earlier dismissed from the Force, said they would all be recalled, and also said there would be a stop to mass promotion and mass recruitment.
"Have you seen anything good done enmasse. We will base promotions and recruitments on merit and not done enmasse. A new recruitment policy and data recording base would be put in place to ensure that there is an effective and up to date record of all the goings in the force," he said.
The PSC boss commended the Zone 2 Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Mohammed Abubakar for the revolution taking place in the Zone and called on other AIGs to emulate his leadership role.
"The turn out of the officers, men and the environment reflect what the office of a Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police should be. A quiet and subtle revolution has taken place here. It is most impressive. We urge you to keep it up," Osayande said.
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