Protect yourself from kidnap, IGP warns police officers

-Police IG warns police officers to protect themselves from kidnap.

-He expressed concerns about guaranteeing the nation’s safety if they couldn’t guarantee their personal safety. 

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has expressed displeasure over cases of police kidnapping in the country.

The police chief expressed worries over the inability of those expected to protect citizens of the country to protect themselves in the first place.

Addressing commissioners of police and other senior officers in Abuja during a meeting he had with them, Idris described as embarassing, the situation where police officers are been kidnapped, urging them to always protect themselves.

“You can only protect others when you are protected because you are a target.” He said.

“There should be more visibility policing. Policemen should be deployed in flashpoint areas to take care of security because the presence of police in those areas would help in the reduction of crime.”

“We must take the protection of our officers seriously. We have a problem; two days ago, one of our DPOs was kidnapped. How can you be a DPO, you have all the policemen under your command and then you start driving as if you don’t have anybody.

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“You allow the useless kidnappers to pick you and your orderly, it is very embarrassing. We had the same issue in Zamfara state where an ACP going on leave travelled alone. It is embarrassing.

“The information we are receiving is that our ACP’s vehicle was abandoned in a bush and he has not been seen which obviously means that he has been kidnapped. How can we be living with such situation? It is becoming an embarrassment. DPOs and other personnel should be careful of their movement.

“Our officers have to be concerned about their personal safety first because this issue is becoming an embarrassment. CPs would also be vicariously liable for any policeman that is just picked up like a fowl or anything, it is very annoying.”

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