Reps task IGP on another emerging security challenge

Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday debated the vexed issue of rampant killing of policemen on duty across the country.

The House members who were clearly unhappy over the unfortunate development challenged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to urgently end the killing of policemen by unknown gunmen to avoid it deteriorating to a fresh security challenge for the country.

The directive followed a motion on the killing of four policemen in Edo State by unknown attackers.

The four policemen were said to have been murdered on July 14 at Sabongida-Ora, in Owan-West Local Government Area of the state, and their bodies set on fire.

The Deputy Whip of the House, Mr Pally Iriase, raised the motion under matters of urgent public importance, explaining that the attackers did not only kill but that “the deceased policemen were later packed into their operational Hilux pick-up and set ablaze.

“The residents of Sabongida-Ora, Uzebba and environs in Owan- West Local Government Area now live in fear,” he added.

It was learnt that the policemen were on patrol duty in the area when the assailants shot them at an intersection.

About two weeks ago, seven policemen were also gunned down in Abuja by unknown persons on July 2.

In his contribution to the debate on Wednesday, the Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde, expressed worries that the attacks might soon become a new security issue if nothing urgent is done by the force authority to address it.

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“Only on Tuesday, two other policemen were killed along the Birnin- Gwari Road; so, we are talking about seven plus four and another two policemen. That is 13 policemen gone in about two weeks. This pattern is reminiscent of how Boko Haram insurgency started and nobody appeared to pay attention to it.

“When they started, their first strategy was to attack policemen and police stations just to weaken the ability of the law enforcement agents to respond swiftly to any security threats . If nothing is done to end these killings, very soon, we may have another group to contend with.”

Among other contributions, the lawmakers called on the IG to “act fast by empanelling a crack team of detectives to arrest the culprits.”

 

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