PSC cautions police against human right violations in South-east, threatens sanctions

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd.), has decried the worsening human rights violations in South-east states and threatened that the Commission would no longer tolerate these serious acts of indiscipline from any serving police officer.

DIG Argungu, in a press statement by the Commission’s Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, weekend in Abuja, said: “The Commission will henceforth  not hesitate to put its disciplinary  processes  in motion to see to the dismissal  of errant  Officers who have found it difficult  to work within approved boundaries.”

Ani said the PSC boss spoke at the on-going South-east Stakeholders Summit on Peace and security and Public Hearing  on Human Rights Violations in South East of Nigeria in Enugu.

According to the statement, Argungu in a goodwill message presented on his behalf by the PSC Head of Press and Public Relations said the Commission was aware of the serious human rights violations by some misguided police pfficers in the South-east, “who against the Commission’s several warnings to stay away  from civil matters have continued to swim in it because of the financial attraction.

He said the PSC has severally warned that police officers should stay clear of land matters, debt and rent collection, marital disputes and other civil matters and allow the courts  to do their duties, “However, we have discovered  that the allure of filthy money has become their albatross as they have continued  to perpetuate this evil act.”

DIG Argungu said he was excited that the summit was holding in Enugu, which has of late become the hot bed of insecurity in the region and the unofficial Headquarters of human rights violations.

He commended the organisers of the programme for beaming the searchlight on this topical national issue, adding that the Commission whole heartedly identifies with the organisers “on this mission in the South-east that needs peace and security.

According to DIG Argungu, “the Commission is very much interested in what is happening  here especially as it affects the entire South-east. 

“We are no more comfortable  with the abuse of Office by some security personnel  detailed  to provide security  across the region. We understand  there is a high level of insecurity in the zone especially with the ceaseless and senseless attacks from brainwashed youths from this zone masquerading as freedom fighters and killing their brothers and sisters.”

He said the Commission has also continued to observe the corruption  and extortion that dots all the roads traversing the region by virtually all the security operatives who are supposed to safeguard the roads and restore unhindered movement of people, goods and services.

The road blocks mounted by these security agencies, he lamented, have unfortunately  turned into toll gates where road users are forced under gunpoint to part with money.

The PSC chairman told the summit that the South-east must be freed of these gangs of Police Men who have found it difficult to work within established boundaries.

He commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for the transformative governance that he has brought to the state especially in the area of security, stating, “I am aware that Enugu state has redeemed itself from the Monday Sit-at-home that had crippled the economy of the state and other South-east states.”

He assured the governor that the Commission will always stand by him to collectively fight the war to comprehensively free the zone of banditry, crime and criminality and other emerging security menace in the South-east.