Posted by By JAMES OJO, Abuja. on
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, yesterday admitted before the House of Representatives that there are serving members of the Nigeria Police that are mentally derailed.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, yesterday admitted before the House of Representatives that there are serving members of the Nigeria Police that are mentally derailed.
Okiro, who did not give the population of mad policemen, said that there are 2 DCPs, 1 ACP, 1CSP, 3 SPs,1 DSPs and 16 ASPs with records of mental related diseases and they are to face the Force Medical Board.
The discovery of mad policemen was sequel to the screening of fresh intakes after former President Olusegun Obasanjo accused the police of recruiting robbers in 2004.
Okiro said that a screening of new intakes confirmed Obasanjo's allegation that there are armed robbers in the police leading to the sack of 10,509, while 3,483 were brought back after a re-screening exercise to correct miscarriage of justice.
Among those that were brought back included 2 CSPs, 10 SPs, 10 DSPs, 15 ASPs, 22 Inspectors, 39 Sergeants, 654 Corporals and 2,433 other ranks.
The IGP was summoned by the House Committee on Police Affairs on the provision of bullet-proof bullion vans by banks, non- compliance with court orders, dismissal of 10,000 policemen in 2007, rising robbery incidence and the retirement of a Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kieran Dungari.
Okiro told the committee that police job was meant for a sound mind and not unstable mind.
'I want to let the honorable members know that in doing police job, one has to be in sound mind to be effective in securing life and properties. After the re screening exercise, we found out that some new recruits were not mentally disciplined.
'But they are going to face the Medical Board and if at the end of the exercise, it is found out that they can not cope with the demands of their job, we will lay them off and pay them compensation, while those that could be managed will be placed in departments that they can function well," he said.
Apart from those with medical problems, the IGP told the committee that those with one disciplinary case would face the Force Discipline Board and whatever is the verdict of the board would be implemented accordingly.
Okiro, who later went into closed door meeting with the members, including the Deputy Speaker, Bayero Nafada, also told them that he is yet to conclude the modalities for the introduction of bullet-proof bullion vans by banks, but insisted that the banks must make use of bullet-proof vans to carry money around.
'Banks always insured money on transit, but what can you pay for the life of my men, who are always the target of robbers? This is why I had to move the date of the deadline forward from December to February. Even then, we are till discussing, I mean the committee set up to work out the modalities," he said.
The IGP denied ever disobeying court orders, saying that police is saddled with the responsibilities of maintaining law and order and that the Supreme Court had ruled in several cases that any order of courts must be obeyed by all.