馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Police misconduct: DIG Fera-Achinyan addresses extortion and human rights abuses
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Zachariah Fera-Achinyan, in charge of the Force Intelligence Department, stated that extortion, human rights abuses, and other misconduct by police personnel are signs of unprofessionalism and indiscipline. Speaking at a stakeholders' meeting in Gombe State, Fera-Achinyan noted that officers who engage in extortion often live beyond their legitimate means, citing instances where a corporal might live like a Deputy Superintendent of Police. He emphasized that professionalism requires sacrifice and contentment, and urged the public to recognize such behavior as a deviation from professional ethics. The DIG recalled a past culture of modesty within the Force, where officers were encouraged to live within their earnings. He also condemned other forms of misconduct, including drinking on duty and poor appearance, stating that a shabbily dressed officer often behaves shabbily. Addressing the manpower shortage, Fera-Achinyan acknowledged that Nigeria's police-to-population ratio falls short of the United Nations' recommendation of one officer per 400 people, with over 300,000 officers for a population exceeding 200 million. He explained that this shortfall led to the adoption of community policing strategies and assured that efforts are underway to improve the situation through ongoing recruitment, with plans to recruit 50,000 new officers. Gombe State is expected to receive 96 newly recruited officers for each of its 11 local government areas.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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