By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Solomon Arase, has warned police officers against delving into land matters, debt collection and issues that should be handled through alternative dispute resolution.

Arase, a former Inspector General of Police, gave the warning when he received in audience the national leadership of the Police Community Relations Committee in Abuja.

The Head, Press and Public Relations of the commission, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Arase promised to remain a strong advocate of community partnership in policing, saying he was worried over the increasing cases of human rights abuses in the police.

Arase also pledged to work in partnership with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to reinvigorate the Nigeria Police Force for better performance.

According to him, for the police to excel in its day-to-day operations, there must be consequences for misconduct and benefits for exemplary behaviour, adding that benefits and burden must go together.

He also promised to strive to complement the efforts of the police to ensure that their operations conformed with the rules of engagement and pledged to support the committee in areas they needed his support.

The National Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Mogaji Olaniya, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his appointment, stressing that Arase remained the best for the job.

Olaniya said the committee was at the PSC office to congratulate the chairman on his appointment and to let him know that the committee was vigorously building on the legacies he established as the 18^th IGP.

He made a case for special promotion for deserving police officers to encourage them to put in more efforts in the service.

“We are here to say that the fruit God used you and others to plant has germinated. We are here to rejoice with you and show you love.”

“The committee will be 39 years old on May 8, and on May 9, we want to celebrate it and we are inviting you to the celebration,” he said. (NAN)

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