Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, has directed
state commissioners to monitor the conduct of police officers deployed to
enforce the lockdown order.
On Sunday, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a two-week
lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun to contain the spread of coronavirus
(COVID-19).
Before the presidential directive, some state governments
had shut their borders and declared a curfew to prevent the spread of the
disease.
In a statement on Thursday, the IGP directed the
commissioners to ensure members of the force carry out their duty with
professionalism.
He said the pandemic has affected the lives of Nigerians,
and that police officers must be humane, tactful and respectful while enforcing
the directive.
Adamu also directed the zonal assistant-inspectors general
of police to ensure officers comply with the standard operating procedure
guiding their operations.
“The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni
has cautioned officers and men of the police currently deployed for the
enforcement of the lockdown and social restriction orders to ensure that the
rights of Nigerians are not infringed upon under any pretext,” the statement
read.
“Also, persons on essential duties, duly exempted from the
restriction orders, should be accorded due courtesies and unfettered access to
and fro their places of duty.
“The IGP notes that the global community is now in
extra-ordinary times, with the lockdown taking its tolls on every component of
our national life.
“Therefore, all police officers deployed for the enforcement
of these restriction orders must be professional, humane and tactful and must
show utmost respect to the citizenry.
“To this end, the IGP has directed Command Commissioners of
Police to immediately commence conduct monitoring of Police Officers deployed
on enforcement duties in their areas of responsibilities.
“The IGP has equally charged Zonal Assistant Inspectors
General of Police (AIGs) across the nation to ensure adequate supervision of
personnel under their watch, as well as due compliance with the Standard
Operating Procedure guiding this special task.
“The AIGs and CPs are also to ensure robust anti-crime
patrols and surveillance around vulnerable targets such as medical facilities,
shops and markets, residential areas, financial institutions and Automated
Teller Machines (ATM) points, amongst others so that criminals do not take
undue advantage of the current COVID-19 challenge to perpetrate crimes against
the citizenry.
“Meanwhile, the IGP has expressed profound gratitude to
Nigerians for their resilience and voluntary compliance with the social
restriction orders and cooperation with the Police at all times.
“He urges citizens to continue to observe all precautionary
measures issued by relevant health authorities in order for the nation to
defeat this pandemic.”
Nigeria has recorded 174 coronavirus cases.
While nine persons have recovered, two people have died from
the disease in the country.
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