The Police Service Commission (PSC) has decried the rising cases of human rights abuses in the South-East and warned it must punish any police officer found culpable.
Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), lamented the painful complaints of rising cases of right abuses at the South-East Stakeholders Summit on Peace and Security and Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations in Enugu.
Argungu spoke through the Commission’s spokesperson, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, who represented him at hearing. He emphasised that the PSC will no longer tolerate acts of indiscipline from officers who fail to operate within their professional limits.
He warned that officers who indulge in, practice or encourage human rights abuses risk severe disciplinary action, including outright dismissal.
Also the PSC Chairman noted that despite repeated warnings, some police officers continue to meddle in civil matters such as land disputes, debt recovery, rent collection, and marital issues, mainly for financial gain.
“The lure of filthy money has become their albatross,” he assured, you warning that such misconduct will no longer be overlooked.
He also condemned the widespread corruption and extortion at security checkpoints across the South-East, where officers allegedly turn roadblocks into illegal toll gates, forcing road users to pay by force using all sorts of tricks.
Argungu acknowledged the deteriorating security situation in the region, describing it as the “unofficial headquarters of human rights violations.” He attributed part of the unrest to “brainwashed youths masquerading as freedom fighters,” who engage in violent attacks.
The PSC, he assured, is fully committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers act within ethical boundaries while restoring peace to the region.