The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, on Saturday, gave a stern warning to police officers: Don’t abandon your duty posts when members of Boko Haram or other criminals attack your stations. Rather, face them squarely.
Abubakar, who said erring officers will henceforth be punished for such act, spoke in Jos, Plateau State, at the close of the police promotion course for Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
Represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, ‘E’ Department, Abdulrahman Akano, Abubakar said: “Of a particular worry is the increasing number of attacks on police stations.
“Similarly, it is a cause for concern the increasing number of police officers killed in the line of duty.
“You can’t afford to run away when there’s trouble.
“Post sufficient men around your stations and when there’s problem, face it squarely, you don’t run away.
“Then, the enemy will think twice before attacking you.
“The Force will no longer tolerate this development.
“You are hereby charged to effectively marshal your resources to bring crime down to tolerable level and muster your men to provide adequate security for police stations and barracks.
“As effective managers, you are to immediately embark on musketry training and retraining for the ranks.
“This is in addition to other confidence building measures such as riot drill.”
Abubakar said his intention is to leave the Force a better one than he met it.
There were 96 participants, 92 male and four female, who went through the course.