President Buhari has frowned at the officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force against harassing innocent Nigerian young men in their quest to fight the syndrome of the “Yahoo boys”.
Buhari made this warning while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Conference and Retreat for senior Police officers titled “Repositioning the Force for the Challenges of Effective Policing in the 21st Century” on Monday held in Lagos.
Represented by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari revealed that the service of the police to the land is indispensible as they are considered the closest government to the grassroots by a common man on the street.
Buhari said Police is everywhere and police stations are scattered all over the country, and police above every service represent the law and order to an average citizen, therefore police cannot do away with public scrutiny and criticism. Nigerians across all strata dream to have a good policing for the country.
Consequently, this has created demand for an average Nigerian to see rule of law in action across the length and breadth of our country.
He noted that recently there was a public outcry over the indiscriminate arrest of young men by the police in the name of fighting Yahoo boys.
Buhari said, “Yes we must apprehend yahoo criminals but we cannot harass young men and women on the streets and in taxis most of whom are merely going about their legitimate businesses.
Cases of extra judicial killings and injuries; misuse of weapons and excessive use of force by some members of the force are among the complaints the government receive on daily basis.
He expressed dissatisfaction with such conduct by the few bad eggs amongst the police and said it must stop. He called on the senior officers amongst the police that impunity of all kinds should not be condoned, while the perpetrators must be brought to book.
He commended the police for having some of the best trained and best-educated men and women.
The president said that Nigerian policemen had served everywhere locally and internationally with outstanding results, therefore, he called on them to exercise caution when dealing with Nigerians.
