The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has issued a stern warning to officers across the country, declaring zero tolerance for abuse of firearms, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of misconduct.
Addressing 1,068 retrained constables at their passing-out parade in Uyo, on Thursday, the police chief said the era of impunity within the force was over.
He stressed that any officer found culpable in unlawful killings would be summarily dismissed and prosecuted.
Disu declared that erring officers would no longer be shielded by transfers, queries, or redeployments.
He insisted that officers must strictly comply with Force Order 237 on the use of firearms, emphasizing that lethal force is permitted only as a last resort and must be proportional and lawful.
Disu further cautioned against extortion, drunkenness on duty, and reckless weapon handling, warning that violations would attract immediate disciplinary and criminal consequences.
The retraining exercise in Akwa Ibom State focused on arms handling, discipline, and operational conduct, with the IGP noting that “an unskilled officer with a gun is a danger to the public.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba Mohammed Azare, disclosed that some of the retrained officers have been deployed to a newly established Violent Crime Response Unit to combat serious crimes.
He also cited recent achievements by the command, including the safe evacuation of explosives at the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre and the rescue of kidnapped victims along the Calabar–Oron waterways.
Dignitaries at the event included retired Deputy Inspector-General Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi and other senior officers.
The police reiterated their commitment to accountability and community policing, urging residents to report misconduct with assurances that all complaints would be investigated and addressed.