Juliana Francis and Godstime Simon
Four personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, including woman police, today 17th August 20220, bagged awards for gallantry and exemplary conducts.
The award ceremony was organised by Okechukwu Nwanguma, Coordinator of the Lagos State Stakeholders’ Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA) and Executive Director, Rule of Law, and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).
Nwanguma stated that SFPA resolved to honour the officers with awards as “our modest means and gesture to commend them, to hold them up as models for professional policing, and to encourage them and others to stay on the path of professionalism and integrity.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Alabi, who graced the event held at Primal Hotel, Isaac John in the Lagos metropolis, commended and applauded the four recipients.
The awardees also received handshakes from the CP, who said: “I am happy that some officers under my watch are being honoured.”
The four police personnel are Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP), Mr Taiwo Kasumu, for ‘Upholding Professional Policing Standards and Outstanding Performance,’ as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Igando Division, Lagos State Police Command, between July 2018 to December 2020.
There is also Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abubakar Aliyu, former Officer in Charge (O/C) of X-Squad, for ‘Effective Community Engagement and Upholding Police Accountability’ as O/C, X-Squad, Lagos State Police Command, between June 2018 and July 2021 and Representative of the Lagos State Police Command in the Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability (SFPA).
The other awardees are Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Patricia Amadin, DPO in charge of Anthony Division, for ‘Effective Community Engagement, Courageous and Exceptional Performance,’ as DPO Anthony Division, Lagos State Police Command and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adeyemo Ogunyemi former Divisional Crime Officer (DCO)- Eruwa Police Station, Oyo State Police Command for ‘Exhibiting Uncommon Professionalism and Restraint’ in the face of a provocative attack while on duty in January 2020 and August 2020.
Nwanguma noted that it was not enough to call for disciplinary actions against erring police personnel, it was also important to commend those that had done well.
His words: “For us in SFPA, while promoting accountability and calling for disciplinary measures against erring police officers, we also see the need to organise events to publicly recognise, commend and reward outstanding and exemplary performance, as a means of incentivising professional and exemplary conduct.”
He explained that according to the Police Act 2020 in Section 92: ‘Police officers who have distinguished themselves with their outstanding performance in the discharge of their duties shall be duly honoured and recognised for their gallant and exemplary service by the Police Force- by the recommendation for national honours, attention being paid to deserving officers inclusive; through public presentation of awards and certificates of exemplary service from communities and civil society; or by the police setting aside a day or week in every year to celebrate outstanding performance by its officers and to remember their fallen heroes.’
“It is in recognition of the need to publicly acknowledge and reward exceptional police officers whom we have identified in the course of our work as having exhibited outstanding performance that we resolved to gather here today to honour and give deserving awards to the officers for outstanding performance,” said Nwanguma.
