THE Senate has asked the acting Inspector -General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to stop his personnel from extorting, intimidating and harassing motorists and commuters on the highways across the country.
The Senate also asked acting Inspector General of Police to set up a panel to investigate the barbaric killing of a commuter and forward report of investigation to the senate via Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Senate has called for the training and retraining of police personnel to ensure civility in the discharge of their functions to Nigerians.
The senate reached the decision after considering a motion on “Urgent Need to Halt Extortion, Intimidation and Harassment of Motorists and Commuters by the Police on public roads,” sponsored by Senator Onyekachi Peter(APC-Ebonyi North).
In his presentation, Senator Peter, noted that one of the primary functions of the police personnel were to facilitate the free passage and movement on highways.
He said that Section 49 sub section one of the Police Act, 2020, empowers the police to conduct stop and search operations.
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He added that police personnel who had the primary duties to facilitate free passage and movement of commuters and motorists on public roads had taken undue advantage by resorting to extortion, intimidation and harassment of motorists.
On his part, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), complained of constant dehumanisation of Nigerians by police personnel at the various check points in the South -East.
He that Nigerians including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and the sick, among other vulnerable persons, were often subjected to come down and walk a distance even in the rain by police personnel.
On his part, Senator Victor Umeh (LP- Anambra Central) said that there was the need to focus more on punishment of officers involved in dehumanisation of commuters on the highways, while suggesting summarily dismissal of the officers involved.
Deputy Senate Jibrin Barau, meanwhile, called for investigation into the dehumanisation of Nigerians on the highways.
