Longtong Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Solomon E. Arase, has ordered that all Police officers bearing firearms in the performance of official duties be subjected to psychological test and evaluation, to ensure that they are mentally and emotionally fit to perform their duties.
The order was given as a result of the recent extrajudicial killings by some Policemen in some parts of the country.
Statement by the Force spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawole noted that the exercise is aimed at eliminating cases of irregularities in handling of weapons by Policemen, as well as protecting the public whom the Police has the constitutional duty to serve, and not to continue killing innocent citizens.
It further explained that, the central purpose of the exercise is to offer mental health recommendations that can help restore an officer to job fitness and deploy such Policeman to appropriate section he/she is fit to work.
“The IGP has directed all Police medical doctors across the nation to conduct psychological test on all Policemen bearing firearms in their respective Commands, every three months.
“If any Police officer has a psychological condition or impairment unattended, will impact negatively on the overall performance of the Nigeria Police Force,” Arase noted.
