IGP orders psychological evaluation of arms bearing officers

In a show of concern for the recent extrajudicial killings by some policemen in some parts of the country, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has ordered that all police officers bearing firearms in the performance of official duties be subjected to psychological test and evaluation.

This, according to a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, is to ensure that they are mentally and emotionally fit to perform their duties.

The IGP noted that the exercise was aimed at eliminating cases of irregularities in handling of weapons by policemen as well as protecting the public whom the police have the constitutional duty to serve, and not to continue killing innocent and law-abiding citizens.

The central purpose of this 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.

He therefore directed all police medical doctors across the nation to conduct psychological test on all policemen bearing firearms in their respective Commands, every three months, noting that if any police officer had a psychological condition or impairment unattended, would impact negatively on the overall performance of the Nigeria Police Force.