By ARUGA JOE OMOKARO, Abuja

There is palpable tension that may result in anarchy in the Nigerian Police Force, if the authorities fail to take decisive and commensurate steps.

This is as a result of the gruesome murder of about 19 policemen in Ughelli area of Delta State recently by suspected herders. And unlike the wide publicity and national condemnation of the gruesome murder of the 17 soldiers, including a Lt Colonel, two Army Majors, one Army Captain and others, the police authorities seem to be publicly silent over the sad death of the patriotic policemen.

In particular, Delta Stare Police Command is being accused of exhibiting grave silence over the gruesome murder of the officers.

It was learnt that out of the 19 murdered policemen, six decomposed bodies are said to have been recovered by local vigilantes in Ughelli.

The SUPREME got information on the murdered policemen from a platform.

Attention of the public on the murdered policemen was said to have been made known by an Independent Radio morning programme, “Man Around Town” on the 7^th of March, 2024. The source on the platform apparently referring to the radio, said, “nineteen policemen with responsible families that were nicodemusly sent to an evil forest in Ughelli Delta State allegedly dominated by blood sucking herders, for rescue mission are (were) still missing in action, which connotes that they have been killed by the terrorist herders.

“Information from the Delta State Correspondent of Independent Television and Radio is that, only six decomposing corpses have been recovered out of the nineteen so far by the Police through the gallant efforts of the Local Vigilantes in the jurisdiction.”

The SUPREME on getting the information and the photographs, contacted the State Police Spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, through WhatsApp to confirm the story and the photographs. But as at the time of filing this story, Edafe was yet to respond.

Anarchy

The alleged silence of the police authorities on the murdered policemen seems to portend danger not only to the police authority but also to the public. And that may result in an anarchy in the Force.

There is a write-up by an unknown author, that is being circulated among senior and junior police officers, which is unhealthy for the authority.

The write-up was recently intercepted by The SUPREME.

The alleged silence of the authorities over the gruesome murder of the policemen is believed to have prompted the write-up.

The author noted with grief that, while the military authorities and the Federal Government are openly condemning the gruesome murder of the soldiers through the media, thereby attracting national and international condemnation and sympathy, the police authority is allegedly mute over the same gruesome murder of its personnel.

The edited version of the write-up reads as follows:

“This is a clarion call to all police officers.

“We’re all aware of the recent killings of a Lt. Col, two Majors, a Captain and about 12 soldiers on a peace keeping mission to Okuama, a town in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State. The publicity given to the killings by military authorities, re-echoed by the press, was unparalleled and it actually attracted the deserved public condemnation across the country and the world. The Commander-in-Chief has made a statement to that effect, the Senate observed a minute silence for the repose of the souls of the slain officers and soldiers, even ECOWAS issued a communique condemning the senseless killings. As a follow-up, the military authorities have on its own, taken it upon itself to ensure that their slain officers get justice, by embarking on reprisal and I’m sure the families of the slain officer will not be subjected to unnecessary difficulties in getting the deserved welfare.

“Recall that a month or thereabouts before this unfortunate incident of Okuama, still in Ughelli South LGA, Nineteen (19) Police Officers who were deployed for a legitimate assignment, were gruesomely murdered.

“Two weeks after, some of their decomposing bodies were found by vigilantes, the gory sight is better imagined. As I write, some of the slain officers’ corpses are yet to be recovered…

“I’m sure, the President was not briefed, the National Assembly was not too, even the main stream media did not report it or consider it news worthy enough.

“So, the officers just laid down their lives for the country just like that and the families they’ve left behind will now bear their losses…

“Every conscious police officer should learn from these two incidences; as much as you cannot refuse to go when sent, as your duties demand, do it with your whole senses, there’s nothing wrong in beating retreat when the situation is getting out of hands, after all, it was a famous quote of Tacitus that, “he that fights and runs away, may turn and fight another day; but he that is slain in battle, will never rise to fight again.”

“If in course of duty, you refuse to understand the situation and choose to fight to finish and the inevitable happens, just have it inscribed in your heart, that you are not dying for Nigeria but for yourself and your family.

“Let’s go down memory lane. In 2013, more than 120 police officers died in one swoop in Nasarawa State, no national mourning, no one minute silence observed by the National Assembly, the media under reported it,

I’m certain most of their graves must have been forgotten now but their families are still suffering the loss of their breadwinners. In 2019 in Abuja, … a Deputy Commissioner of Police, the DC Operations Abuja, was killed by protesters and nothing happened.

“It will be a waste of time to mention the wanton killings of policemen in the North East, North West, North Central, South East, South West and South South. Need I mention the killings of policemen in Ibadan during the End SARS? In fact, hardly can a day pass without hearing a news of killing of a policeman in the present Nigeria…

Then comes the pertinent question, in all these sacrifices, what has the policeman serving and those who have survived got in terms of welfare? Nothing!

“Even the struggle to get out of the Contributory Pension Scheme is still a mirage, with the government hell bent on ensuring the policemen don’t live a comfortable life ….

“In all these, what hope does a police officer have?…

“My distinguished colleagues in arms, your only hope is to stay alive and leave the system when your time for retirement comes. …

Most of all, get very close to God…”

When contacted on WhatsApp, to confirm if the murdered policemen are from Delta State Command, and why the police authorities fail to give them “adequate” publicity like that of the Army, Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, referred us back to Delta State Police Spokesman, who had yet to comment as at the time of filing this report. (Text, excluding headline: The SUPREME)

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