Fish out killers of policemen, Reps tell CDS, IGP

By Christiana Ekpa and Umar Muhammad Puma

The House of Representatives yesterday asked the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to set up a crack team of detectives to fish out those behind the gruesome murder of four policemen on patrol in Sabongida-Ora area of Edo State.
Our correspondents report that, 7 police officers were also brutally murdered by some unknown gunmen in Galadimawa district a suburb in Abuja, few weeks ago.
This followed a motion on the matters of urgent public importance raised by Deputy Majority Whip of the House, Mr Pally Iriase, during the Wednesday plenary.
Pally while Moving the motion, recalled the July 14 gruesome incident where four policemen were reportedly murdered, loaded into their patrol vehicle, and set ablaze by some yet to be identified assailants.
He said: “The deceased Policemen were packed into the operational Hilux Pick Pp patrol van and set ablaze.
“We must rise up and act. The IGP must be held accountable, so he need to act fast to bring the killers to book”, he said.
The lawmaker lamented that the killings of the men of Nigerian police was becoming a common practice for security officers to be attacked at will adding that it was time for action on the part of government.
“The residents of Sabongida Ora, Uzebba and environs in Owan West Local Government Area now live in fear.
“It is of great concern that if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the assailants and perpetrators of this dastardly act, there might be breakdown of law and order in the area”.
Also speaking, Minority Whip of the House, Mr Yakubu Barde said two policemen were also killed in similar circumstance along the Birnin-Gwari way on Tuesday.
He cautioned that the development was assuming a dangerous dimension.
“When Boko Haram started, they started by targeting the state; killing policemen. Something may be in the offing”, he warned.
In his contribution, Rep. Ahmed Kaita (APC-Katsina) urged for better equipment and training of the policemen, in order for them to withstand such attacks.
“We need to ensure that those who have the responsibility to protect us are also secured”, he said.
Others who spoke in support of the motion, including Reps.Tahir Monguno, Nicholas Osai and Adamu Kamale separately condemned the new trend of police-targeted killings.
“Enough of lamentations. We should have the solution”, Kamale said while calling for urgent action.
The motion was unanimously adopted by members, after which a minute silence was observed in honour of the fallen policemen.