IGP warns personnel: No more night travels, uncoordinated vehicle search

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman Baba, has warned all police personnel to refrain from travelling at night until further notice.

This was contained in a signal sighted by julianafrancisnews.com.

The order may be connected to the wanton killings and attacks on police personnel in some parts of Nigeria, especially in the Southeast. The reason for police personnel being targeted and killed has remained unfathomable.

Since the #EndSARS Protest, which spiraled across different parts of the country, policemen have been killed and police infrastructures targeted and destroyed.

Baba further instructed that the police contingent embarking on any journey should stop and sleep at the nearest police station immediately after the clock strikes 6:00 p.m.

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The personnel, thereafter, should continue with their journey the following day to avert untoward situations.

Baba, also in the missive, threatened to come down hard on commissioners of police manning states if they did not control personnel under their watch, stressing that over seven police personnel clustering around a single vehicle in the name of ‘Stop and Search’ duty was quite unbecoming and worrisome.

This he opined, makes them not to be on red alert while on their duty posts.

Commissioners of Police heading states were further ordered to warn Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) under their watches to return excess arms in their holding to the central armory in their stations or formations for safekeeping.

The Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders, and DPOs were expected to make issues raised by Baba in the signal part of their subject matters during lectures.

The signal states thus: “Police officers should stop travelling at night. Police contingent embarking on a journey should stop at the nearest police station immediately it is 6:00 p.m and continues the journey the following day to avert an untoward situation. Police officers travelling in their own private capacities should do so early enough to reach their final destinations on time to avoid night journeys.

“To all the Commissioners of Police in states, you’re further directed to post 10 men as station guards to fortify all police stations and other formations. Seven men on Stop and Search duties in your respective commands, warn them to adhere strictly to their individual assigned duties and stop clustering around stopped vehicles for the purpose of searching them.

“Policemen must always be on red alert while on duties. Furthermore, you are to warn your Area Commanders and DPOs to return excess arms in their holding to Central Armoury at different formations and commands for safekeeping. Make the directives a subject of a lecture to your officers and men. Treat as very important and ensure strict compliance.”

EAGLE