By Victor Ahiumayoung

UNITED Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, yesterday called on the police hierarchy in the country to be neutral and isolate the police force from partisan politics, to avoid losing the citizens’ trust and confidence.

Labour

In a statement by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero, warned the Police not to take actions that undermine it as a critical institution of governance, saying “ULC calls on the Nigeria Police under its present leadership to immediately withdraw from the theatre of our nation’s politics. It must not allow itself to be used by any of the parties neither should it lend itself to any of the political parties for use in the contest for political power in Nigeria.

”It must not only be impartial in discharging its obligations to Nigeria and the masses but must be seen to be so. Any other contrary perception causes great anxiety for our polity.

“The events of last week where the Police allowed itself to be involved in scuttling legitimate and peaceful protest by law abiding citizens is indeed shameful and stands contrary to the dictates of democracy.

”We expect the Police to be sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians for freedom of expression even when the government is unable to make provisions for the basic needs of the people. Allowing itself to be used to tear-gas the opposition party in a protest is an over kill that does the nation and indeed the Police force no good at all.

“This action stands condemned and indeed portends great danger for our democracy. The Police under its present leadership may be working at scuttling our entire democracy as they have suddenly become a source of great worry to all patriotic citizens and organisations whose interests is the survival of our great nation.” Our Police has unfortunately become the weakest link as it stands today in our collective quest to build a united and progressive nation.

We are seriously worried that the Police seem to be doing great harm to this administration by its activities that tends to paint this government in a very bad image by clothing it with the garb of dictatorship. The Government if it is not therefore complicit in this sordid affair should distance itself from the actions of the police by condemning it publicly and urging it to allow the free reign of democratic expressions.

“We warn the Police not to take actions that undermine it as a critical institution of governance. We believe that their recent action indeed does present great threat to the existence of the Police as a governance institution. This action has contributed in besmirching the already difficult image which the Police force has created for itself and this negates the promise which the IGP; Kputum Idris made to Nigerians on assumption of office.