Ibrahim Idris, inspector general of police (IGP) has expressed sadness over the constant kidnapping of policemen in the country, describing it as “very embarrassing and annoying”.

A divisional police officer (DPO) Amos Aliyu, was abducted by unknown gunmen in Munya local government area of Niger state, alongside his orderly.

Prior to the Niger incident, Emmanuel Adeniyi, an assistant commissioner of police, was kidnapped in Kaduna state, although he was later rescued.

Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with commissioners of police and other senior officers in Abuja, Idris told the police officers that they would be held responsible should anything happen to any policeman under them.

He urged police officers to always protect themselves, saying: “You can only protect others when you are protected because you are a target.

“There should be more visibility policing. Policemen should be deployed in flashpoint areas to take care of security because the presence of police in those areas would help in the reduction of crime,” he said.

“We must take the protection of our officers seriously. We have a problem; two days ago, one of our DPOs was kidnapped. How can you be a DPO, you have all the policemen under your command and then you start driving as if you don’t have anybody.

“You allow the useless kidnappers to pick you and your orderly, it is very embarrassing. We had the same issue in Zamfara state where an ACP going on leave travelled alone. It is embarrassing.

“The information we are receiving is that our ACP’s vehicle was abandoned in a bush and he has not been seen which obviously means that he has been kidnapped. How can we be living with such situation? It is becoming an embarrassment. DPOs and other personnel should be careful of their movement.

“Our officers have to be concerned about their personal safety first because this issue is becoming an embarrassment. CPs would also be vicariously liable for any policeman that is just picked up like a fowl or anything, it is very annoying.”

On the recent law on kidnapping, Idris said: “The Nigeria Police Force is very glad with the law on kidnapping. With the law which is a death sentence for those that would be tried for kidnapping, the spate of kidnapping in Nigeria will be reduced”.

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