…attacks insensitive – Oki, NAOSNP President
By Okosun Dennis
The National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) has condemned in its strongest term the recent attacks on officers of the various security agencies in Nigeria.
In the interest of peace and national security, NAOSNP wishes to plead with Nigerians to desist from such inhuman activity as it is counterproductive to the war against insurgency and other organised crimes the country is battling with.
In a statement signed by the President of the Security News Publishers, Samson Oki noted that this period is unprecedented in the history of the country considering the avalanche of incessant killings around the country.
“No part of the country seems to be enjoying peace. We cannot continue like this. In a situation where some youths are now bold enough to attack military officers, and other Paramilitary organisations on the streets while carrying out their lawful duties, is nothing but “insensitive to the challenges of the time.”
Mr Oki averred: ”In recent times, the Nigerian security agencies, especially the Police, have come under severe attacks from some members of the public, even as they were seen to be performing their lawful duties. Most of these attacks have proved fatal, leading to loss of lives, and subsequent distress for their families, which include very young wives and husbands, teenage children, and in some cases aged parents. These people are left to mourn unendingly.”
NAOSNP wants to recount and reiterate some recent unfortunate incidences where police officers were brutally attacked. “You will recall that during the Bye-election in Ekiti State less than two months ago, a young policewoman was mercilessly shot in the head while she was lawfully supervising the election.
“She fought for her life for about 24 hours before giving up the ghost, leaving behind a husband, children and parents.
“Most recently, the celebrated case of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sunday Erhabor, featured in the media space. In a video that went viral, the officer was assaulted by a motorist, who was stopped for driving against the traffic.
“Much as Erhabor was armed with AK-47, he resisted the temptation to use the weapon against a defenceless civilian despite the attack and attendant provocation. He was praised by the public, rewarded by some and honoured by the Lagos State government.
“Besides the assault on ASP Erhabor, another traffic officer was also attacked by a hit and run driver he confronted. Without respect for his uniform or the police authorities that put him there in the first place, the driver having sufficiently assaulted him went on but the glee of the public smashed a bottle on the officer’s head. It is unfortunate and uncalled for a situation where an officer performing a legitimate duty to be beaten like a criminal. This is not right in any form and is utterly condemnable.
“We have heard of members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attacked and killed, doing their civic duties, personnel of Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA), have also suffered huge public assaults not to talk about military men that are daily killed by insurgents in the North East and in other parts of the country by bandits, kidnappers and hoodlums.”
“We at the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), frown seriously at the development and call for immediate stop of this obnoxious act. This act is inciting, wicked, inhumane and negates the constitutional rights to life and peaceful co-existence.
“Based on this premise, we enjoin the public to continue to see the security agencies as friends and stakeholders in the business of making Nigeria great. We must desist from assaulting, molesting, attacking and killing them. They also have families just like the rest of us.
“We must note that the presence of any security operative is enough distraction for a would-be offender. The security personnel, whether working or not dissuade the perpetration of any form of crime or evil. The decision by some heartless few in the society to launch insipid attacks against them exposes the rest of us to the vagaries of insecurities.
This further makes the society porous and give room for criminals to penetrate the nooks and crannies of the country; making the citizens more vulnerable to attacks because the security men would have been forced to either leave the streets or fail to perform their duties for fears of further attacks on their lives.
“As a result, we can imagine how porous the society would become if policemen are killed, or made to stay off our roads. The chaos would be unimaginable to bear.
“Let’s put a stop to the molestation and killing of policemen and other security personnel because we need them, sometimes, more than they need us. The Security organizations especially the police must not rest until they have arrested and prosecuted anyone found to have assaulted or killed an officer to serve as a deterrent to anyone, who may have the intention of assaulting any uniform personnel.
Just as it was done recently, the parade of some individuals that attacked a police officer at the Computer Village in Lagos by the Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of CP Hakeem Odumosu, it is our hope and desire that such proactive step would discourage some criminally-minded individuals who would want to continue the culture of violence against uniform personnel.
It is also our belief that the earlier relevant sections of the laws are exploited to protect law enforcers, the better for peace and progress in our society. Security agencies remain our friends!
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/stop-attacks-on-security-operatives-forthwith-naosnp-pleads-with-nigerians/
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