The Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), Hashimu Argungu, has declared war on all police officers taking advantage of the insecurity in the region to extort people and commit all forms of violation of human rights.
The retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) stated this on Saturday in Enugu at a two-day South-East Stakeholders Summit on Peace and Security, and Public Hearing On Human Rights Violations.
The Summit was organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in partnership With Southeast Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Argungu who was represented by the spokesman of the Commission, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, noted that the South-East had become the hot bed of insecurity in the country and the unofficial headquarters of human rights violations.
He expressed concern over the serious human rights violations by some police officers who meddle into civil matters for financial gains.
“The Commission is no more comfortable with the abuse of office by some security personnel detailed to provide security across this region, we must free the region of these gangs of policemen.
“We understand that there is a high level of insecurity in the zone especially with the ceaseless and senseless attacks from brainwashed youths.
“But that obviously should not and never be an excuse to relapse into corruption by the security agencies.
“We have continued to observe the corruption and extortion that dot all the roads in the region by virtually all the security operatives who are supposed to safeguard the roads and restore unhindered movement.
“The road blocks mounted by these security agencies have unfortunately turned into toll gates where road users are forced under gunpoint to part with money,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, said that the stakeholders’ engagement was informed by the need to highlight ‘intractable and debilitating’ challenges of insecurity in the South-East.
Nwanguma said it was regrettable that the South-East, which was the most peaceful and vibrant region in Nigeria, had gradually and steadily descended into anarchy and existential crisis of enormous proportions.
He said the situation called for urgent and joint efforts to interrogate and understand the root, nature, facets and effects on the well-being of our people.
He said: “When we understand the various factors and forces driving insecurity, we can then proffer informed solutions towards restoring order, peace, security and prosperity.
“Many of our communities have been overrun and taken over by criminal elements who without mercy; kill, maim, destroy and rape in an unrestrained reign of terror. Many families have been displaced.
“Women have been rendered widows and childless, girls have been abducted and held as sex slaves, children have been forced to abandon education, traditional rulers have been chased out of their kingdoms.
“The clergy have been kidnapped and killed. Nobody is spared in this abominable reign of terror.
“We must collaborate to seek solutions to the lingering multidimensional challenges of insecurity and human rights violations.”
