The Nigeria Police Force Wednesday denied reports that more than a hundred anti-riot policemen absconded from an ongoing training at the Special Forces School, Buni-Yadi, Yobe State.
Online news had stated that the officers, fearing they could become canon fodders, had fled their camp. It also claimed that the police had authorised the arrest of the deserters.
But in a statement, Force Public Relations Officer Jimoh Moshood said all the 2000 policemen deployed were on ground and were fighting alongside the military against Boko Haram.
“The Force wishes to categorically state that the story is untrue. It is absolute falsehood and a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram insurgency.
“The insinuation in some quarters and as reported in the story that 167 out the 2000 additional police officers recently deployed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) absconded is not correct and should be disregarded by members of the public. These 2000 police personnel are to complement the efforts of the military, to add new impetus to the fight against the decimated Boko Haram insurgency.”
The spokesman said further: “This story was investigated and it was found not to be correct. There is no reason whatsoever that police personnel deployed for the operations in the northeast would abscond. The Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel have been engaged actively in the frontline along with the military in the fight against Boko Haram since the inception of the insurgency.
“These 2000 police officers recently deployed are in addition to several thousands of police personnel already engaged in the fight against insurgency with the military in the northeast. The list of 167 names attached to the story is fake, as the officers mentioned are on ground in the northeast.
“The 2000 police personnel deployed are in high morale and high spirit in the operation. The Force sees the story as a deliberate attempt to promote insurgency and dampen the morale of officers and men of the police and other services who on a daily basis lay down their lives to protect our dear nation and ensure security of all citizenry.”
He added: “It is evidently clear that the writer of the story has never visited the venue of training or witness the deployment of the police personnel in the operation but relied ignorantly on hearsay from misguided individuals who are being used to work against national interest and security.
“The Nigeria Police Force will continue to hold the media in a very high regard as a veritable partner in ensuring adequate security and success of the fight against insurgency. However, the media are implored not allow their esteemed publication to be used to publish falsehood capable of misinforming and misleading the public.”