The Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) has condemned the attack on the Imo state police command headquarters, Owerri.
This is even as the association noted that when police become a regular target of hoodlums, the entire populace was no longer safe.
A statement signed by ARPON President, Fidelis Oyakhilome, at the weekend, said in its wildest imagination cannot fathom the reason for the emerging worrisome culture of unprovoked violence against the police and its infrastructure.
The association, therefore, urged all law-abiding citizens and indeed all Nigerians to roundly condemn this ugly destructive development and insist that no stone should be left unturned to hunt down the perpetrators and ensure their prosecution.
ARPON said no civilised society allows or encourages such wanton disrespect for an organisation that has the statutory responsibility of maintenance of law and order.
It also used this opportunity to appeal to the federal and state governments to rally round the Police and help strengthen the Force via the provision of adequate and sophisticated equipment and retraining of personnel.
The statement read in part: “Not too long ago the media were awash with reports of brutal attacks on and killing of police officers in various parts of the country. On Tuesday, 6 April, 2021, we received yet another report of the killing of two policemen on essential duty in Delta state.
“The nation is witnessing a period when policemen are attacked and killed virtually on daily basis.
“We wonder if Nigerians no longer appreciate the enormity of the damage these attacks can do to the protection of lives and properties of citizens in particular and the image of the country generally.”
It stated that “if the police become a regular target of hoodlums, they dare say that the entire populace is no longer safe.
“The association, therefore, unequivocally condemned the brazen attacks on policemen and police formations nationwide.”
