#EndSARS: We won’t force any police officer to return to duty – Official

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has stated that it would not compel any police officer to return to duty.

The PSC said this on Sunday in a statement by Ikechukwu Ani, its head of media and public affairs.

The statement was in reaction to a newspaper publication which stated that the commission had threatened to dismiss officers who failed to return to work.

The commission said the report was false, saying that it would be most insensitive for the commission to dismiss any police man who doesn’t return to work.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how protests in various parts of the country turned violent mainly after the army shot at peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

Over 20 police officers were also killed by hoodlums and dozens of stations set ablaze.

The shooting by the army also led to reported attacks on private property and businesses.

Some of the property destroyed by the hoodlums were the BRT station with buses, TV Continental (TVC), Adekunle police station, Herbert Macaulay Yaba and Lagos City Mall amongst others.

Asides Lagos, property were also looted and destroyed in Ondo, Jos, Kano and Abuja.

Many police officers have since abandoned their duty posts after the violent incidents.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported the protests by Nigerian youth to express their displeasure at police brutality across the country.

We can only plead with our men

In the statement by Mr Ani, the PSC said that it can only plead with police officers to return to work considering the casualty suffered by the police during the protests.

He also said the commission is in a mourning mood as the reported dismissal threat would be insensitive.

“The attention of the Police Service Commission had been drawn to a publication in the Punch newspaper of Saturday October 31 2020 reporting that the Police Service Commission will dismiss Police officers who fail to return to work.”

“The Police Service Commission wishes to state that it did not any time say Police men who refused to get back to work will be dismissed.”

“The Commission had condemned the killing of Police officers on legitimate duties and had warned that any attempt to make the country lawless will be an illwind that will blow no body any good.”

“The Commission can only plead with the officers to in the spirit of nationalism return to work while Government works out enough protective programs for them.”

“The Commission will continue to do its best to ensure the police are motivated to do its job.”

“The Commission being the employers of the Police is pained that Police men were killed and stations set ablaze throughout the country.”

“It will be very insensitive at this point for anyone to say that the Commission will dismiss any police man who didn’t return to work. The Commission is even at present mourning the deaths of it’s gallant officers who were killed in the crisis,” the statement read.