Shooting of innocent motorists will attract severe punishment -Abia CP warns Policemen

The new Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Wilfred Olatokunbo Afolabi has warned that any officer who unjustifiably shoots a motorist on the highway would not be shielded from disciplinary proceedings regardless of who may intervene on his behalf.

Afolabi gave the warning at the Command’s Headquarters in Umuahia on Monday, after assuming duty as the 35th Commissioner of Police in Abia.

He said that officers who make mistakes or fail to carry out their responsibilities professionally, would be guided where necessary but made it clear that any offending officer would be visited with commensurate disciplinary action.

“If you go and shoot a motorist along the highway for no justifiable reason, you cannot expect that you will bring your king or religious leader to beg me and I will listen,” he said.

Afolabi, who stressed that any officer involved in such misconduct would be considered unfit to remain in the Police force, promised that personnel who genuinely require guidance would be mentored and trained to improve their professionalism.

The Commissioner of Police also promised to examine existing crime fighting strategies in the Command with a view of introducing new approaches, noting that the welfare of personal would be prioritised to get the best optimal performance from them.