Firearms: Policemen, women to undergo drug test

http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IGP-Solomon-Arase...Nigerias-Inspector-General-of-Police.jpg

 

NIGERIA: MEN and women in the Nigeria Police Force would soon begin to undergo medical tests to ascertain any signs of drug abuse in them.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, said that the men and women in uniform would undergo snap urine tests before they could be allowed to carry firearms.
The police boss dropped this hint at the launch of drug testing kits and campaign against sudden death of police

officers in Abuja.
Arase stated at the launch, which was organised by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in collaboration with the Hypertension and Diabetes Awareness Foundation, that besides denying officers who failed the test access to firearms, the force would dissuade them from drugs or other psychological problems that could affect their operations.

The IGP explained that the unwarranted killing of many Nigerians due to misapplication of firearms by his men and women led to the public seeing the police in bad light.

“After an in-depth study, my team and I have found out that some of these fatal cases could be due to mishandling of firearms by police officers who are psychologically unfit to handle firearms at that time,” Arase said.  “We have, therefore, decided that the medical assessment of persons we recruit into the police force will include a psychological assessment.”

While stating that some of the psychological problems could have resulted from drug abuse by few of the officers, Arase said that the police had also began a policing strategy that would lead to the transition of the police from relying on firearms to manage social disorders.

“Orders have been placed for this weaponry and adequate training framework is being put in place,” he said, adding:

“My long term vision is to effectively address issues that engender misuse of firearms and give true meaning to our mandate of safeguarding the lives of our citizens.”

The Force Medical Officer, Adenike Abuwa, had earlier explained that the initiative was meant to further protect the lives of Nigerians from accidental discharge by men and women in uniform.

Abuwa, an Assistant Inspector General, also stated that a three-day capacity building workshop for medical officers would take place in all police health facilities across the country.

The move, she added, was to ensure improve mental care delivery services in the police force.