Scores of police officers got the boot today as punishment for their failure to stop kidnapping along the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria highways.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, ordered the immediate redeployment of Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and other officers, Inspectors and lower ranks serving in stations on the axis that is notorious for kidnapping and robberies.
All policemen at divisions and outposts, starting from Zuba Division in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to all Divisions on the route, were affected by the unprecedented redeployment, an indication that the police authorities might be working on the theory that its men are colluding with the criminals.
The sweeping redeployment also affected stations and posts in Niger State located along the Highway to Kaduna, and others in the axis through to Zaria City in Kaduna State.
Police spokesman Moshood Jimoh said that new Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, other superior officers, Inspectors and Rank and Files have been posted to take over from the outgoing ones.
He said, “The redeployment is to bring in new experience and fresh impetus to the fight against kidnappings, armed robberies and other violent crimes on these Highways.”
Jimoh added that the manpower overhaul in the axis would ensure full execution of Operation Absolute Sanity’s stipulated mandate.
In another development, the Inspector General of Police has promoted posthumously late Inspector Idris Musa to the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police for act of bravery, gallantry and supreme sacrifice of losing his life in active service to his fatherland, Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Jimoh stated that the late officer “will be remembered as one of the heroes of the Nigeria Police Force in the fight against Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria”.
“Inspector Idris Musa eventually died at about 0100hours oo 24th July, 2017 from injury he sustained along with two other Police Officers who survived when they came under IEDs attack from the remnant of Boko-Haram insurgents who were moving out to attack public centres, place of worships and other locations in Kano metropolis in the early hours of 23rd of July, 2017,” Jimoh stated.