Attacks, mayhem: Don’t be discouraged, IGP charges police in Lagos

• Stephen Godonu: 

The Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Tuesday, has charged policemen in Lagos not be discouraged by the recent attacks on police formations and killings of officers by hoodlums under the guise of #EndSARS protests across the state. Adamu gave the charge on Tuesday when he paid a condolence visit to the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over massive destructions in the state as well as a fact-finding tour of the state. After a closed-door meeting with Sanwo-Olu at the State House, Marina, the IGP, while addressing Correspondents, said the policemen should see what happened to them as part of the risks on the job and should not deter them from performing their constitutional duties. While acknowledging the fact that the morale of men of Nigeria police is currently low, Adamu encouraged them not to be demoralised by the ugly incident. According to IGP, “Lagos seems to be the epicentre where the incidents took place. The level of destruction is more in Lagos than any other state. “I am here to commiserate with the governor of Lagos State and the people of the state on the level of destruction of lives and public property as well as private businesses which were uncalled for. “My visit is also to see the Police stations that were destroyed and talk to officers and men of the Nigerian Police and encourage them not to be deterred and demoralised by events that took place where they were attacked and police stations destroyed. “They are specially trained to take this kind of risk because by the nature of policing they are exposed to this type of danger and now that this has happened, it shouldn’t discourage us from performing our constitutional duties. “The morale of some of them has been dampened so the visit is to encourage them not to be discouraged but come out to protect lives and property. “Apart from the police stations that were destroyed, private businesses were destroyed even the palace of Oba of Lagos was destroyed. “I would urge the citizens any time you want to undertake a peaceful protest, it’s very important to set up a protocol in order not to allow miscreants to hijack the protest. “The moment you allowed that the intent of the protest will be defeated as in the case of this peaceful protest we witnessed. “So, we hope in future if we must embark on peaceful protest we must observe some protocols so that we don’t allow miscreants to hijack the protest. “No nation will be able to bear the loss as we have seen in Lagos. Even if they will be able to bear the loss it will take a long time.”