The Edo State Police Command on Monday warned that the police would no longer fold its hands and allow its men and officers die like chicken.
Johnson Kokumo, the state commissioner of police, gave the warning during the inauguration of 70 vigilantes in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area of the state.
Kokumo also appealed to parents and guardians to warn their wards to steer clear from criminal activities or face the full wrath of the law.
He said the command would keep talking to its men not to police with bitterness, noting that never again will it happen for someone carrying jackknife to kill a policeman carrying AK-47.
Residents of Edo State, particularly Benin metropolis, have been living in fear due to rising robbery attacks and cult-related killings in broad daylight.
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Recall that suspected cultists had at the weekend reportedly shot at a police patrol team around Upper Sokponba Junction, leaving an Assistant Police Commissioner (ACP) and three other with various degrees of gunshot wounds.
The police team had gone to the area to restore normalcy following reported robbery and killings by rival cult groups.
Kokumo disclosed that the command has arrested several persons in connection with various crimes in the state.
He also assured that officers of the command would be on 24-hours joint patrol with sister security agencies in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area.
“It’s our responsibility to sanitize the state and the Inspector General of Police has gone ahead with confidence building of the police after the #EndSARS,” Kokumo said.
“We will keep talking to our men not to police with bitterness. But never again will it happen for someone carrying jackknife to kill a policeman carrying AK-47.
“The police will no longer fold its hands and die like chicken. I want everyone to take the message home to neighbours and their children.
“We will also no longer fold our arms or allow criminal elements to open fire on our men. Our personnel will use their arms professionally. We have justification to use our firearms when a life is in danger,” he said.
Earlier, chairman of Ikpoba-Okha LGA, Eric Osayande, said the vigilantes will be under the council’s payroll.
Osayande said the vigilantes will “compliment existing security architecture in the area”.
“Governor Obaseki directed that we should call all Enigies (district heads) to go back to the traditional methods of vigilantee to fight insecurity,” he said.
