Era of impunity gone, says IG Disu

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has declared that the era of impunity in the Nigeria Police Force is over, saying a new system is being put in place for effective and transparent policing.

Disu, who called on police personnel to join him in sanitising the force, said he could not carry out the reforms alone.

The IGP stated this in Benin, Edo State, on Friday during his official visit to the command, where he had an interactive session with officers.

Disu promised to upgrade the traffic warden unit of the force, maintaining that the complaints of the officers had been noted for action.

He said, “I am leaving here with what they have told me in confidence, and they have been able to open my thoughts. Now, I have one or two things to do when I get back to Abuja. Things I never gave thought to. For example, an officer of the traffic warden said for many years now, there have not been recruitments into the corps of traffic wardens. That got me thinking. The traffic warden unit should be upgraded. So, when I get back home, we are going to talk about it.”

Speaking on the end to impunity, the IGP, who made reference to the recent incident where a police officer allegedly shot dead a civilian who did not resist arrest, said, “That’s impunity. You arrested somebody who was not struggling with you, you brought him out in daylight and you shot him.

“The police rose up to the occasion immediately, tried them, dismissed them, and they are going to charge them to court. That is the meaning of ending impunity.

“Like I mentioned earlier, the era of impunity is over. We have to have the new Nigerian Police Force. I know I cannot do it alone, that is why I have come here to talk to them, so that all of us will be on the same page.”

Also speaking, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, urged the IGP to extend support to the command in the areas of logistics, tactical support and personnel development.

“The command intensified high-visibility policing, aggressive bush-combing operations, confidence-building patrols, and intelligence-driven raids across identified criminal hideouts and flashpoints within the state, hence the IGP’s support is needed,” he said.