The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has called on elders and eminent citizens of Nasarawa State to collaborate with the police in order to fish out the perpetrators of Tuesday’s killing of policemen in Alakyo village.
Abubakar made the call, yesterday, when he visited widows and family members of the slain officers in Lafia, the state capital, just as officers and men of the Mobile Police Unit, undercover operatives and the counter terrorism unit of the force were redeployed to the state, a move said to ensure effectiveness, reassure citizens of their safety, stabilise the security of states, provide a safe and conducive environment for effective policing; and provide additional manpower and support for the Nasarawa State Police Command.
Accompanied by the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, the IGP described the killing of the officers as “callous” and had never been heard of in the history of the force.
He also disclosed that some officers were still being held hostage by the suspected cult group, but assured that efforts were being made to secure their release.
“We are making every peaceful effort to ensure that some of our men still being held hostage are released unhurt,” Abubakar said.
With the level of dialogue at the state level and in some other quarters, Abubakar expressed optimism that the officers would soon be released.
According to him, the police had taken appropriate measures to cushion the effect of the loss on the families of the slain officers, especially the upkeep of their children.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Olubolade also said such ‘barbaric’ act of snuffing lives out of security personnel, who are meant to safeguard lives, is unacceptable in a decent society.
“Somebody somewhere is causing havoc for whatever reason and the society must not allow that to continue,” he added.
He therefore assured that the police would dig deep in order to unravel those behind the killing of the officers and bring them to justice.
