Attorney General prescribes psychiatric tests for police officers

The Attorney General of Kaduna State, Jonathan Adamu, has advocated that the government subjects every police officer to psychological and psychiatry test every six months to cut incidents of extra-judicial killing by the police who should be our symbol of national security.

Regular and special security outfits in the country abuse suspects, and in many cases, the perpetrators of such abuses often go unpunished.

Speaking at a gathering in Kaduna, Mr. Adamu said the tests might uncover officers who are unfit to do law enforcement duties or carry arms.

Also addressing the gathering, Chairman of Network on Police Reform, Mr. Andy Nkemnem, made a case for authorities to make sure that security operatives who abuse and torture innocent suspects are punished.

He observed that many perpetrators of tortures often go unpunished while the victims are often denied justice.

Participants urged authorities to make sure that culprits are fished out and to erase the stereotyped image of the police.

The Director, Police Promotion of the Police Reform Commission, Ben Iwambe, advocated that the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria and the Human Right Commission should also consider how vulnerable police officers are, and see the tribunal as a reform effort and not a criticism of the police whom in most cases are also abused and battered in the line of their duty.