News
Police DIG, Jitoboh Says Nigeria Will Not Be Divided, As PCRC National Chairman Condemns Calls For State Police
By Daniel Dafe, Abraka
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Department of Research and Planning) and Theatre Commander, Operation Restore Peace, South South Zone, DIG Moses Ambakina Jitoboh, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, for launching the ’Operation Restore Peace’ initiative, saying Nigeria will remain one and not be divided.
DIG Jitoboh said this during a one-day National Capacity Building Training Workshop with theme ’Effectiveness of Community Policing in Relation with PCRC’ organized by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Delta State.
Jitoboh hinted that he was instructed by President Buhari through the Inspector General of Police to come and launch ’Operation Restore Peace.’
He continued: ”Some people are threatening the national cohesion of this country and trying to secede from this country. Elders who passed through the civil war would pray that war does not happen again.
”That is why the ’Operation Restore Peace’ in the South South and South East was launched. For the South East it is to be led by the most senior police officer in that zone, likewise in the South South where I also happen to be the most senior officer and so would lead it.
”We are here to preach peace to every nooks and crannies of this country. The country is too big to be divided. This country is too wonderful for some persons to say they want to secede. The president has given some marching orders and that this country must be one and it will remain one.
”Whatsoever name they call themselves, this country will not divide will not break. This country will be peaceful. We shall continue to remain one.”
Continuing, he said that ’Never Again’ is now a new slogan added to the police force, stressing that that never again will police infrastructure be burnt or police officers killed.
”This slogan is to ginger police men so that they can be alive to their responsibilities,” he opined.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of PCRC, Ambassador (Dr.) Faruk Maiyama, has condemned calls for the police force to be decentralized and state police formed, saying that PCRC is against establishment of state police.
According to him, state electoral bodies were yet to be able to conduct free and fair elections, saying that allowing state police would give them more power to intimidate their political opponents.
He said: ”We all know what happened with state police in the past. We used to have state police in the 40s and 50s and they were used to kill political opponents, those with business issues also used it against one another. So how can we allow state police to come back?”
Adding: ”Even now, some governors use vigilante members to victimise their political opponents. If they have state police it would be worse.”
The PCRC chief also condemned the killing of police officers in the state.
While advocating for unity in the country, he noted that without internal security there will be no peace, without peace there will be no development and without development no progress.