By Andrew Airahuobhor
Monday, October 03, 2005

Sunday Ehindero, acting inspector-general of police, last Monday wielded the big stick against 11 police officers who were recently indicted for sex scandal in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. The officers who are among the 120- member Nigerian contingent participating in a United Nations, UN, peace mission were accused of 19 acts of sexual abuse. It ranges from rape to luring children to sex with food or money.

The IGP ordered the immediate suspension from duty of all the superior police officers, SPO's. They are also to report to the force secretary to answer queries. Also, inspectors and rank and file have been handed over to the force provost marshall for trial. The 120 members of the contingent have been banned from participating in any peace keeping mission outside the country throughout the rest of their career in the force. Besides, 36 of them attached to the police mobile force have been demobilised.

Ehindero chided the police officers for bringing shame and disrepute to the country. "They have no shame at all. They are a disgrace to this country and we shall deal with all of them after due process has taken its course," Ehindero said.

The 120-member Nigerian contingent were drafted to the DRC to be part of the 16,000 officers and men of the strong UN mission in the East African nation, code named "Operation MONUC." Anthony Okon, superintendent and commander of the team was named alongside Ali Husseini and Nwoha Felix, both assistant superintendents of police, ASP, as perpetrators of the shameful act. Others include Zacharia Philip, inspector and Andrew Edwin, a sergeant.

Mike Okiro, deputy inspector-general of police, AIG, was drafted to the DRC by the IGP, when news of the allegation of sexual misconduct was received. He was sent on a fact-finding mission and to facilitate the repatriation of the contingent back home. On September 24, they were repatriated by the police authorities.

Ehindero explained that preliminary reports of a board of inquiry constituted by the UN on the incidents, and the fact- finding mission to Congo by Okiro indicted the 11 officers. He said there was no need waiting for Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general's report before taking appropriate disciplinary measures.

The IGP said that over the years, Nigeria police force have won international awards in peace-keeping operations. He regretted that this contingent of officers have dented the image of the force. Consequently, Ehindero declared that henceforth, he will work in conjunction with the force secretary to screen all police personnel who are to participate in foreign missions. "We shall no longer delegate such functions because some miscreants have found their way into these missions," the IGP said. He noted that this was the first time men of the Nigeria police force on peace-keeping abroad were indicted and repatriated for breaching UN code of conduct.

But Haz Iwendi, force public relations officer, FPRO, said Okon, the team commander, faced investigations for his failure to disclose or report his subordinate's misconduct.

Human Right Watch, a rights advocacy group had in July accused the Nigerian police force of routinely committing murder, torture and rape of suspects in their custody. Their accusation was contained in a 76-page report titled "Rest in Peace: Police Torture and Deaths in Custody in Nigeria," released in Lagos.

International reputation of the police has been dented by these randy police officers. At home, the police are battling to restore their integrity which has been battered over the years by corrupt police officers.