The Police Service Commission has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Commissioners of Police in Delta and Imo states following a spate of attacks targeting police officers across the country.
Solomon Arase, the chairman of the commission, condemned the assaults, emphasizing that the slain officers were fellow Nigerians deserving of support, encouragement, and protection.
In a statement released on Sunday by the commission’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, Arase expressed grave concern over recent incidents of violence against police personnel.
The Nigeria Police Force reported that six officers were killed in an ambush in Delta State, with six others missing in action during a mission to investigate the disappearance of three colleagues in Ohoro Forest. Additionally, two officers attached to MOPOL 18 in Owerri, Imo State, were killed by gunmen in the Okigwe area.
Arase called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to reassess the leadership capacity of state commands in response to these alarming incidents. He stressed the need for accountability, suggesting that any Commissioner of Police found incompetent or negligent should be replaced to prevent further casualties.
Expressing condolences to the families of the slain officers, Arase urged the remaining officers not to be discouraged by the attacks but to maintain their resilience and determination in combating militancy and banditry.
He emphasized the importance of integrated intelligence policing and called on state command commissioners to rise to the occasion in addressing the security challenges facing the nation.
