The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has charged men and officers of the Edo State Police Command not to leave the public space for criminals, despite the killings and burning of police stations in the state.

He assured them that both serving and retired officers in the force would continue to enjoy the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government’s Health Insurance Scheme.

Adamu disclosed this in Benin City during an on-the-spot assessment of razed police stations in Edo.

He also said that the force was working with the Police Service Commission (PSC) to ensure that injured officers and those who lost their lives during the protests were promoted to the next rank.

“While in service, we register for Health Insurance Scheme; but it stops when we retire. Now, this government said it is not encouraging; it is now part of the law that those that have retired from the force will continue to enjoy health insurance,” the IGP said.

SIMILARLY, the police have been called upon to return to their duty posts in the interest of national security.

Leading personalities and groups that made the calls yesterday were Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and South West Development Frontiers (SWDF).

Ugwuanyi passionately appealed to men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to fully renew their commitment to the security of life and property by returning to their duty posts across Enugu.

He made the appeal when he visited the Senior Police Officers Mess, Agbani Road, Enugu, to commiserate with the police over the loss of security personnel security infrastructure.

The governor, who described the mayhem unleashed by miscreants that hijacked the hitherto peaceful #EndSARS protests, as an unusual and challenging period for the force, pointed out that it was a needless ill wind.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurrahman, had earlier appreciated the governor’s humility, sense of responsibility, concern, and love.

He maintained that the visit signified that the command was in good hands under Ugwuanyi.

According to SWDF, this is no time to apportion blame but to collectively work towards rebuilding vandalised monuments and sustaining national peace.

In a statement yesterday, the Coordinator, Osabinu Olufemi, condemned the killing of police officers, razing of over 200 police stations and vehicles across the country, carting away of firearms, and vandalism of facilities that provide employment opportunities for youths.

The civil society organisation (CSO), however, commended the proactive response of some state governments in stemming the crisis and the professional conduct of security forces in the face of persecution by the hoodlums.

For the country to move forward, the coalition urged the government to ensure that the various panels of inquiry set up by state governments were given unfettered access to information and a conducive atmosphere to work.

Government, the group added, must equally ensure a total reformation of the police, commence immediate renovation of their barracks, provide a better welfare package for them as promised by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

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