THE Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, has directed the immediate dismantling of all intra state and highway roadblocks which constitute nuisance, especially in Lagos, Edo  and the south-eastern states.

Also, he ordered the disbandment of all squads, teams or any other operational or investigating outfit under whatever name and collapsing such into the original structures recognised by police standards.

The IGP, who read the Riot Act on Monday while addressing ACPs of Police Commands in charge of operations and CIDs in Abuja, warned that henceforth, he would hold Command Operation Officers and ACP CIDs personally and directly responsible for operational and investigative misdemeanours occurring within their jurisdictions.

According to him,  any observed non-compliance with these directives and subsequent ones which will be issued from time to time will attract severe sanctions as his administration will not be frustrated by officers’ non-committal attitude to work, nor will it tolerate indiscipline, indolence, corruption, inefficiency and all the negative tendencies that have brought much disgrace to the force.

While lamenting that the Nigeria Police had fallen to its lowest level and had become a subject of ridicule within the law enforcement community and among members of the enlarged public, the IGP noted that police duties had been commercialised and provided at the whims and caprices of the highest bidder.

“Our men are deployed to rich individuals and corporate entities such that we lack manpower to provide security for the common man, our investigation departments cannot equitably handle matters unless those involved have money to part with.”

He said it was sad that complainants suddenly became suspects at different investigation levels, following spurious petitions filed with the connivance of police officers.

Also, he said the anti-robbery squad (SARS) had become killer teams, engaging in deals for land speculators and debt collection, while toll stations, in the name of checkpoints, adorned the highways with policemen, shamefully collecting money from motorists in the full glare of the public.

Source : Nigeria Tribune.

I just hope this directive will be put into action.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo must hold his new IG's feet to fire to make sure he carries out his pledge FULLY.
The police seige of Igboland must end immediately!

As roadblocks are banned, they should also set up highway patrol services or at least have the police on standby along every highway (eg every 10km?) and major road intersections. If not, the police will wear another cloth and start robbing!

efisher:

As roadblocks are banned, they should also set up highway patrol services or at least have the police on standby along every highway (eg every 10km?) and major road intersections. If not, the police will wear another cloth and start robbing!

That is why this should only be a FIRST step. There should be a restructuring of the police to de-emphasize road blocks which BTW is a product of military rule.
Patrol is the civilized way of policing an area.

I can't agree with you more Efisher highway patrol should come back.

If they police the North as they are doing in the East Boko people will run to Niger Republic or Chad .