By Alex Olise
There is mourning across many police formations in the 36 state commands as, within the past two months, no fewer than 15 operatives were killed during gun duel with bandits.
The killing of the officers have prompted the police high command to direct all the Assistant Inspector Generals of the zones and the 36 state commissioners to begin a fresh workshop for personnel, with the major aim to face the current challenges where kidnapping, armed banditry cultism – including by herdsmen – among others, have become the order of the day
City Voice gathered that the authorities were not happy with the way police officers were being killed during encounters with criminals.
A top police source disclosed that in most of the encounters, the bandits – either kidnappers or armed robbers – had field day and escaped with weapons abandoned by the policemen.
The source further revealed this is one of the major reasons while most kidnappers and armed robbers who were later caught were to be found with the guns carrying police inscription tag of green and yellow, sometimes with even police number tag. He said these are guns belonging to slain police personnel killed during encounter with criminals.
The statistics of the recent killings obtained by City Voice revealed that five policemen were killed in Benue state, four along the Abuja-Kaduna road, one in Ogun state, four in River State by suspected kidnappers and one was recently killed in a remote village at Sapele area of Delta state
However, families of the bereaved personnel have demanded urgent compensation from the police authorities to enable them use the funds to assist the children left behind by the gallant officers who died while in active duty to the nation
Force Spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, told City Voice that the Force Headquarters will definitely pay due compensation to families of those officers in line with laid down rules as a way to motivate personnel to do their job without fear.
Last year, the Lagos State police command paid N10million each to five families of police officers who were killed by militants at Ikorodu. It also paid N5million to the officers who were injured during the gun duel, which occurred at about 2:am on the fateful day while the officers were responding to a distress call.