Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Nigerian Army has lamented frequency of brutality against its personnel by operatives of the Nigeria Police, noting that such ill treatment has led to some cases of death.
Consequently, the army requested all its corps, formations and establishments to compile details of its fallen officers lost to police brutality in different parts of the federation.
This was disclosed in a circular with Ref. No.: AHQ/DASE/G3/240/55 signed by Maj.-Gen. J.A. Ataguba and dated November 23. The circulated was titled “Evaluating Incidence of Police Brutality against Personnel of the Nigerian Army.”
The circular noted that the Nigerian Army “is constitutionally tasked to provide aid to civil authorities when called upon.
“This responsibility has occasioned conducting joint activities with members of the civil and paramilitary organisations,” the circular pointed out the army’s involvement in internal stability.
It explained that the joint operations with other security agencies particularly the Nigerian Police had created occasions for the police to equate its hierarchy with the Nigerian Army.
With a bit of retrospection, the circular said the operation “has often led to friction especially at the lower levels. This friction has occasionally led to bodily harm and in some cases death to our troops.
“This is in spite of the fact that the victims have been identified and established to the serving personnel,” the Nigerian Army lamented the ugly trend of police brutality against its personnel.
As a result, the circular disclosed that the Army Headquarters “is conducting an evaluation of these occurrences with a view to establishing the frequency and recommend possible remedial measures to stem the tide.”
The circular, also, requested that all corps, formations and establishments of the Nigerian Army should forward all recorded incidence of police brutality against operatives and personnel
It added that the report should cover the last two years returns to reach this NLT 8 December 21 and should be forwarded using enclosed format, detailing all incidents of police brutality within formation ACR.
