Police won’t mourn 27 missing officers yet

Policemen involved in the terrorist attacks that took place in Gwoza, Borno State in August last year, and who are still missing, will not be declared dead, until the expiration of a certain time frame.

This was the submission of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase while responding to questions from reporters after inaugurating the Board of Directors of the Nigeria Police Property Development and Construction Company Ltd. (NIPPDCC) on Tuesday.

The IGP who declined to give the time frame, said: “About our colleagues, who are missing in Gwoza, there is a tradition in the police force.

“When officers are missing in battle, we do not declare them dead or missing until after a period has lapsed.

“So, we are still waiting for that period to lapse, and if we cannot find them after that time, then, we will formally declare them either dead or missing,’’ Arase said.

Thirty five policemen were declared missing on August 20, 2014, after the insurgents attacked Gwoza, where one of the police training schools is located.

However, on 26, August 2014, the Police spokesman, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, a Commissioner of Police told reporters that eight of them were found, leaving 27 still missing.

 

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