Usman Alkali Baba, the IGP of the police, stated that actions of indiscipline led to the recent discharge of three cops who were trending on social media.
In light of the country's security situation, the IGP cautioned police to exercise caution when using social media and in public places. He made this statement during a discussion with members and officers of the Gombe Police Command during a three-day State visit.
“Of such instances which were widely circulated in the social media was a police Inspector who was justifying extortion, one Tiv man, saying even the IG knows that we are here and that this is our reward. Which one was his reward, the money he was extorting from the public and I told members of the public that I don’t know and that I don’t send him to do that and that’s why I dismissed him.
”I am sure some of you must have seen the video. Look at the way he dressed like a Tiv warrior. There is nothing to show that he is a policeman. When he was paraded that was not the way he dressed and extortion is a criminal offense.
“The second one was a policeman who said somebody abused him while he was on stop and search and then he used cutlass to beat that person, even though he didn’t use the sharp side, did he supposed to use cutlass on the person no, and the third one was a policeman while he was on stop and search, he decided to check on the person’s phone and the person said why are you checking my phone, the Inspector General said you should not check my phone and I actually said it.
”The policeman just started beating him for saying the IG said you should not check my phone. For a discipline policeman once the name IG is mentioned he supposed to stop. In those days if the IG car is parked we will stop and salute the IG car,” he said.
While having a friendly conversation with the members of the Gombe Command, Baba called the Adamawa Commissioner of Police right away and demanded that the seven vehicles that the Gombe State Command had lent to the Adamawa Police Command be returned, promising to also buy a brand-new armoured car for the Gombe State Police Command.
He praised the friendly relationships among all the state's disciplined organisations, adding they should all be imitated.
Ishola Babaita, the police commissioner in Gombe, thanked the IGP for the many forms of assistance the state has been receiving from the national office, noting that the IGP has been a devoted father to the state.