The Nigerian Police Force has described as fake news reports that the Force dismissed 121 officers for absconding from deployment against Boko Haram.

 This was contained in a press release issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. DSP Jimoh Moshood in Abuja on Saturday.

According to him, “It is purely fake news that the police dismissed 121 officers for absconding from deployment against Boko Haram.

It will be recalled that an online publication (not CEOAfrica), recently reported that about 121 police officers were dismissed by the force for absconding from deployment against Boko Haram. The Force PRO urged the public to disregard the report noting that it is untrue.

He said, “The Force is categorically stating that the story in its entirety is a fake news and not credible, and should be disregarded and discountenanced by the public. No Police officer has been dismissed among the 2000 Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel deployed to the North East.

“Police officer and men found wanting in any way in the discharge of the statutory duties go through internal disciplinary procedures and if found guilty are either discharged from the Force or given commiserate punishment(s). In this case, no officer was tried in orderly trial for any offence (disciplinary or otherwise) that will warrant dismissal from the Force and none was dismissed.

“The writer of the story ignorantly and for mischievous reasons relied on forged counterfeit documents which did not emanate from the Force as the basis of his story. It is a crime under the penal and criminal code laws to tell falsehood with the intent to mislead the public to acts that can cause disturbance of public peace and public disobedience.”

He added that the Inspector General of Police did not order the dismissal of 121 Police officers as claimed by the publication.

“The pronouncement of dismissal of Police officers from the Force to the public is the responsibility of the Force Public Relations Officer and not that of the writer of the story.

“The force therefore implores the public to be aware that the story is ill-motive, orchestrated to puncture the morale of officers and men of the Force engaged in the fight against insurgency in the North East and other Police personnel carrying out core police duties to protect lives and property of all Nigerians across the country, and this should be condemned by all.

“The Force will no longer tolerate or condone deliberate mischief or reckless publications aimed at defaming and derogating the integrity of service from individual(s) or Group(s). The full weight of the law will be applied to protect the image of the service,” he said.