Insubordination: Military-trained policemen may face disciplinary action

Ten policemen who were being detained by the military for refusing to participate in a counter-terrorism operation may face disciplinary action for insubordination.

The officers had received counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism training in Belarus and were ordered to go for an operation in a state in the North-East in April, 2015. However, they refused, saying they needed to get a directive from the Force Headquarters before they could take part in the operation.

The policemen were later detained on April 20, 2015 in a military facility at Gwagwalada, Abuja, for demanding explanation from the Army authorities on the procedure for their ‘conscription’ into the Army.

Investigation by our correspondent on Sunday, however, indicated that the policemen may face disciplinary action for disobeying a lawful order.

A senior police officer informed our correspondent that the policemen did not need any signal from the police authorities to participate in the counter-terrorism operation, noting that Nigerian police personnel can perform military duties and could also be conscripted into the military.

He said, “The policemen should know that what they did was an act of insubordination for which they may face disciplinary action. Having undergone training under the auspices of the military, they have no reason not to participate in the counter-terrorism operation as directed by the military authorities. Under the Nigeria Police Act, policemen can perform military duties and that is the reason we participate in foreign missions.”

Another highly placed security officer explained that the 10 policemen have no excuse for not participating in the operation, stressing that the Constitution permits the conversion or conscription of any policeman into the military.

“According to the Police Act, any policeman could be conscripted into the military to perform military duties; Nigeria is perhaps the only country that has such a law. So, the policemen have no excuse for not going for the operation and they do not need any directive from the police in that regard,” he stated.

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