Mr. Solomon Arase, Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and a retired Inspector-General of Police, has stressed the critical need to promptly distinguish the Special Constabulary from regular police officers.
Arase, in a statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, advocated for a clear definition of their operations, including uniforms and rules of engagement.
Expressing discontentment with the current structure and operations of the Special Police Constabulary nationwide, Arase said that the commission is actively engaging with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to revamp the outfit’s organisation and modus operandi.
Citing numerous reports of unprofessional conduct by the constabulary officers – a quasi-police formation created to aid community policing – Arase highlighted incidents of high-handedness when dealing with citizens and rampant extortion on roads and in communities.
“Reports of their unprofessional conduct ranges from high handedness in dealing with citizens and barefaced extortion on our roads and communities.
“The Commission calls for an entirely different set of uniforms for officers of the outfit that should be easily differentiated from that of the regular police officers.
“This will help to track appropriately the conduct of men of the outfit and that of the regular police officers and free the Nigeria Police Force from blames associated with the misconduct of men of the outfit,” he said.
Arase further advocated for disbanding the constabulary in states where members lack salaried compensations and adequate welfare provisions. He cautioned against arming and authorising a group without basic financial remuneration to uphold security and maintain law and order, which often leads to instances of extortion and intimidation.
The retired Inspector-General concluded that such practices posed inherent risks, stressing the imperative need for a comprehensive overhaul of the constabulary system to ensure professionalism and accountability.
(NAN)
