Former Rivers State
Commissioner of Police and current Assistant-Inspector General of Police in
charge of Zone 2, Lagos, has said he was misquoted by reports that he ordered
policemen to kill 20 civilians for every officer killed in the coming general
elections.
Mbu in a statement
signed by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olugbemiga Adeoye,
explained that he only “advised his policemen not to be cowardly but to be
guided by Force Order 237 on the use of their firearms.”
According to him, the
firearms are not only meant to defend themselves but also others “including
fellow police officers when their lives are in danger.”
The AIG, who said he
was quoted out of context, believes that reports on the issue have been fraught
with political undertone.
He said such reports
were geared towards portraying him in a bad light and as an officer who does
not uphold the rule of law.
The statement said,
“Although policemen are not to be seen with firearms within a specific radius
of the polling area, quick response squads will be created to respond to
distress calls.
“There is no society in
the world where policemen will be killed by hoodlums and the perpetrators will
be allowed to escape justice.”
He said he was also
quoted out of context on the alleged order to arrest governors at polling
units.
“What he (Mbu) said was
that no highly placed individuals in the society who have police escorts and
other forms of personal guards will be allowed within the voting area
accompanied by such retinue of escorts,” the statement said.
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