OPERATION RESTORE PEACE: Police Condemns Attacks On Personnel,  Deploys Additional Assets To South East

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba,  has  condemned the recent spate of attacks on Police officers, facilities, and other police operational assets around the nation, particularly in the South East where there have been attacks on police stations, ruthless murder of police officers in their line of duty to protect the citizenry, as well as the destruction of critical national infrastructures.

 

The IGP  in a statement on Thursday, ordered the immediate deployment of additional operational assets to complement officers and men attached to Operation Restore Peace in the South East and other launched operations, with the aim of flushing out criminal elements who hide under the guise of aggrieved citizens to perpetrate criminal acts.

 

The IGP warned that attacks on police officers in the line of duty would no longer be tolerated under whatever guise, as the Force holds the lives of its personnel sacrosanct, and such unwarranted attacks would be strictly treated in accordance with extant laws.

 

He equally reiterated the commitment of the Force to protection of lives and property while stressing that it is vital to respect the lives and fundamental rights of Police officers and other security operatives, in order to enable them advance their sacred mandate of serving and protecting the citizens better.

 

Similarly, Usman Alkali Baba, on Wednesday 20th April, 2022, received the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Kedem Tallen, OFR, who paid a courtesy visit on the IGP in his office at the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

 

The Minister discussed amongst other things, the plight of women in Nigeria, particularly in relation to gender and domestic-based violence. She pointed out the recent case of the famous gospel musician, Osinachi Nwachukwu, whose untimely death at the hands of her husband on 8th April, 2022 has caused public outcry.

 

The Minister who was accompanied by some members of the late singer’s family, was equally interested to know what efforts the police have put in place to ensure swift justice is dispensed.

 

The Inspector-General of Police, while reacting, noted that the untimely death is heart-breaking particularly as information from sources close to the family and independent witnesses fingered her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, as being responsible for her death. He stated that the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force, in whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, arrested the deceased’s husband at about 5pm on Sunday 10th April, 2022 at their residence in Lugbe, Abuja. The suspect is currently in detention at the FCT Police Command even as investigations are still ongoing.

 

The IGP further emphasized that considering the sensitive nature of the case, and the need to get justice, and swiftly, the command has approached the National Hospital, Abuja, for post-mortem examinations on the deceased to ascertain the cause of death and her husband will be charged to court as soon as it is established that he was responsible for her death.

 

The Inspector-General of Police stressed that the alleged act is condemnable in all ramifications as it is both illegal and immoral for one human to take the life of another in any manner contrary to the provisions of the law.

 

He reiterated the commitment of the Force under his leadership to ensuring that cases of this nature including domestic violence, sexual and gender-based violence, rape, and other social vices are accorded utmost attention with a view to bringing their perpetrators to justice according to the provisions of extant laws.