ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper
The Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu has again pleaded with officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force not to be demoralised by the attacks and destruction of police stations during the # EndSARS protests across the country.
Adamu made the plea during his working visit to Ondo state to access the destruction and looting of police stations during the EndSARS protest.
He said that they should put the # EndSARS protest behind them and resume their duties of protecting lives and property.
He pleaded with them to return to work with confidence urging them not to be demoralised by attacks suffered by some of them during the #EndSARS protests.
The Police Chief pointed out that his visits to Ondo state were “to boost the morale of personnel and to intimate them of the plans of the Nigerian Police for the future. He advised the men and officer of the command to always be at alert to curb crimes and defend the public property against destruction.
“Go back and do your duties, don’t be demoralised, be confident, don’t be afraid, we are ready to defend you if anything happens. Adamu who traced the genesis of the last # EndSARS protest to fake news on social media noted that fake news was an impetus to the protests which lasted for many days across the country.
“The main goal of those behind the End SARS protest was aimed at destabilising the government and remove President Muhammadu Buhari from office.
“The call for End SARS started in 2015 and the SARS has been reformed here and there till they came up with the protest again.
“During the previous administration, the issue was addressed but Nigerians were not satisfied and we disbanded it.
“But despite this, they refused to leave the street which means they have a different motive and the motive was not #EndSARS but to destabilise the government
“When they were even protesting peacefully we were following them and provide security for them to make sure they were not molested but that did not satisfy the intent of the people that sponsored the protest.
“Their intent I believe, they wanted the police to use excessive force in disbanding the protest but police showed restrain and did not do that and because we didn’t do that they went to the next level of attacking police installations, police stations, police barracks, corporate facilities, and individual businesses”
“The people that know the importance of law enforcement and police in the society agreed that there are bad elements within the police but not everybody is bad”
On improving the welfare of policemen, the IGP said that President Buhari had approved salary increment for all policemen in the country, while he said the recent mass promotion of junior officers was to encourage them to do their job diligently.
