The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, explained, yesterday, that the military had taken over the role of the police in combating internal crises in the country because the latter lacked sophisticated weapons.
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By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA —The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, explained, yesterday, that the military had taken over the role of the police in combating internal crises in the country because the latter lacked sophisticated weapons.
He also dismissed recent reports by some international rights groups, especially Amnesty International, of rights violations by security agencies in the management of internal crises in the country, insisting that the rules of engagement were being applied in line with international best practices.
Idris particularly said the military was in the forefront of battle against resource-based and sectarian insurgency in the country rather than the police which, he noted, was the primary institution saddled with responsibility of dealing with internal security.
According to him, the police have no sophisticated weapons to match those used by insurgents.
His revelation was contained in a keynote address presented at a seminar with the theme, Counter Insurgency, Human Rights and Good Governance in the context of Nigeria Situation, organised by a civil society organisation, under the aegis of Global Amnesty Watch, GAW, in Abuja, yesterday.
“The police, being the primary institution saddled with the responsibility of internal security, had much to contend with in the rising wave of resource-based and sectarian insurgency, hence the military had to step in to assist as the police had no sophisticated weapons to match the ones used by the insurgents,” he said.
On alleged rights violations, extra-judicial killings
Commenting on alleged rights violations and extra-judicial killings in the country by security personnel deployed to crisis points, Idris said: “Over the years, the police, along with the military and other paramilitary agencies, have continued to engage the insurgents, with a view to subdue them and in all the operations, the rules of engagement are being applied in line with internal best practices.
“In the course of the counter-insurgency operations by the security forces, there has been no intent or design to abuse the fundamental human rights of either the insurgents or civilian populace.
“However, during some raids on insurgents’ hideouts, it was possible that some innocent ones were arrested along with the culprits but usually, screening and investigations are carried out and subsequently, those considered innocent were immediately released.”
He said it was possible that during some gun duels with armed insurgents, casualties were likely recorded from both sides, security forces and insurgents, where the civilian populace became victims of stray bullets from opposite sides.
“It is, therefore, unfortunate that the above situation is being misunderstood and taken to mean intentional actions aimed at violating the fundamental rights of the people by the human rights observers. The police may say that human rights violations are myth rather than reality.”
Idris frowned on the little or no emphasis given violations of rights of security personnel handling internal crises in the country, wondering whether they were not beneficiaries of the principles of the fundamental human rights.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Country Representatives of Global Amnesty Watch, Mrs Helen Adesola, charged stakeholders in security not to assess situations in manners that do not place terrorists and other killers at disadvantage, while criminalising state defence forces.
According to her, this will greatly imperil local populations that would lose state protection as a result.
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