Etim Ekpimah
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has inaugurated a 9-man committee to assess losses that have been suffered by the Nigeria Police Force during the #EndSARS protests across the country.
Speaking during the inauguration of the programme at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Adamu noted that the setting up of the Assessment Committee is informed by the need to properly document the losses that the Force have suffered for the purposes of strategic planning, re-construction and re-equipment, and for future reference.
A statement signed and forwarded to journalists by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, showed that the Force encountered great losses in terms of human and material resources during the #EndSARS protests, which began on a rather peaceful note, but later degenerated into violence, loss of lives, and wanton destruction of property.
He said: “The committee, which has CP Abutu Yaro as chairman was charged by the IGP to see the assignment as a call to service which must be undertaken with purposefulness, empathy, dedication and sacrifice.
“The terms of reference of the committee include that the delegation should physically visit the scenes of incident and capture the pictorials of all damages done to police infrastructure and personnel; verify the fatalities suffered by the police; establish the weapons holdings that were lost during the incidents, among others.
“The IGP particularly emphasized that the delegates should visit families of deceased police officers and the injured on behalf of the Force.
“The IGP, while appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, GCON and government at all levels for their support and commitment to the holistic reforms of the Force, reassured the families of the deceased police officers and the injured their losses and sacrifices would continually be remembered by the Force and the nation.”
According to the statement, the IGP also appreciated the professional conduct and restraints by the police personnel during the period, even in the face of imminent threats to their lives.