The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has condemned the reported killing of police officers and attacks on police stations in parts of the country, especially in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Hon Ken Robinson, in a statement made available to our correspondent in Warri, Delta State, on Friday, described the development as barbaric and uncalled for.

“The said attacks on police stations and personnel of the Nigeria Police, for whatever reason, are barbaric and should not be condoned in a civilised society.

“To the extent that some policemen, reportedly, no longer report to duty for fear of getting killed.

“Those behind these attacks and their sponsors should realize that nobody would be safe in a “policeless” state,” the group warned.”

While acknowledging criminal elements could be in the rank and file of the Police, the group averred that “it does not mean that every police officer is bad nor that the Nigeria Police is the citizens’ enemy.”

PANDEF, therefore, called on the perpetrators of the attacks on police formations and Police Officers “to cease forthwith and seek lawful and acceptable ways to vent whatever exasperations they may be having.

“We also call on the Police authorities to redouble efforts to sanitise the force, weed out rogue officers, and restore the dwindling primacy of the Nigeria Police within the internal security architecture of the country, while at the same time, urging police officers to be professional in their conduct.”

(Nigerian Tribune on Saturday)