IG raises alarm over more policemen committing suicide

Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police

The Nigerian Police Force is worried over the rising cases of suicide among its officers across the country.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zone 5, Abubakar, Mohammed, lamented the development in an interactive session with policemen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Thursday.

He said recent statistics confirmed that more policemen are taking their lives.

Mohammed, a former Director at the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) office in Lyon, France, said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has ordered senior police officers to have close relationship with their subordinates.

He disclosed that the IG asked them to close their ranks with their subordinates to know their problems and stop them from taking their lives in order to stop the problem.

“The IGP has asked us to now go close to our officers as well as the rank and file to know what their problems are because the level of suicide within the police is getting higher. Police officers are killing themselves without us knowing what their problems are,” he said.

“If you have family problems or in the office, it is very important to talk to your senior officer who will try to help you. I do not know why it is increasing. Whether it is because of family problems.

“But if you have any issues bothering you, talk to your immediate senior officers who will approach a more senior one to resolve it.

“The police need to relate more with members of the public and develop confidence in their minds without being compromised. Many civilians are afraid that if they give police information, we will divulge the source of the information.

“When that is done, the confidence of the informant disappears and this will be detrimental to our crime fighting strategy.

“When you harass members of the public, you lose confidence. When you torture suspects, it creates problems between you and civil society in terms of human rights abuse”.

“An intelligent police officer can deal with a suspect in a prescribed, acceptable manner rather than using coercive methods. In essence, you change your attitudes. The way you portray yourself will determine whether the person you are getting information from will help you.”