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IG seeks special courts for kidnappers
 

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ogbonna Onovo, said yesterday in Abuja that the police was advocating special courts to try kidnappers. Onovo, who said this after decorating eight newly promoted Commissioners of Police (CPs), said that the force was already negotiating with the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on the issue.

“We are requesting for special courts to try kidnappers, so that we can decongest the police cells,” he said, adding that those who had been in detention would soon know their fate.

Onovo said the police had adequately sensitised Nigerians to the evils of kidnapping with a view to collectively fighting the menace with the use of technology and human intelligence.

He noted that the problem of internal security was not peculiar to Nigeria as it was a world-wide issue caused by poverty, unemployment and economic meltdown, among other factors.

Onovo charged the newly promoted commissioners to be loyal and dedicated to their duties, saying that  “greater challenges lay ahead as the 2011 general elections draw near’’.

He said he was optimistic that the elections would be devoid of “the much anticipated violence and bloodshed’’.

The newly promoted Commissioners of Police (CPs) are Abdulrahman Akano, Felix Uyanna, David Omojola, A. J. Abakasanga, Jubril Adeniji, Abdullahi Magaji, Ibrahim Maishanu and Adenrele Shinaba.

Meanwhile, the I-G has inaugurated 30 patrol motorcycles donated to the Nigeria Police Force by the Chinese Government. Ten of the motorcycles were deployed to the Police Command in Lagos.

Onovo directed that the remaining 20 motorcycles deployed to the Police Command in FCT be positioned at road junctions within Abuja to enable the police to chase and apprehend traffic offenders as well as hit and run drivers.