In a brazen act of violence, two officers of the Police Intervention Unit were on Tuesday night gunned down at the Sukuta Traffic Lights Junction. A third officer was wounded and is said to be in a serious but stable condition at the Ndemban Clinic in Bakau. Police are still on the hunt for the unknown assailant who is said to be at large.
It could be recalled that a few months ago, another attack was launched on officers of the same unit while they were on their lawful duty in the village of Fass Njagga Choi in the Lower Niumi District of the North Bank Region. Reports also have it that another security officer was shot at in the southern part of the country last year.
The question many are asking is that: is there a pattern of violence emerging in the country? And if this is so, why target security officers who are simply doing their lawful duties? Are these acts of terror directed at the State agents or are they random acts of violence?
Security is one of the most important aspects of development yet it is as complex as one can imagine. Without security, nothing can be achieved and therefore every government must do everything in its power to ensure the security and safety of its people. In fact, the primary duty of a government is to protect its citizens. People must feel safe in the country in order for them to go about their day to day activities.
The matter is even more compounded when one considers the fact that these attacks are meted out on those who are supposed to prevent them – the police. The question many citizens are asking is this: if the police themselves are not safe, how can they ensure the safety of the citizens in the country?
Government must do all to ensure that the perpetrator(s) is found and made to face the full force of the law. Investigations must be swift and thorough to make sure that the motive of the perpetrator is uncovered. Also, when the individual is arrested, all findings of the investigations should be made public so that it can serve as a deterrent to would-be perpetrators.
Whoever is responsible for these cowardly acts of terror must understand that the police are simply doing their jobs. They are serving the country in ways that have been sanctioned by the laws of the land. They are not there on their own volition but rendering essential services for the progress of the country.
The population must also support the police in difficult times like these. Any individual who has information that may lead to the arrest of the perpetrator should swiftly communicate to the police so that this matter can be resolved. Accountability is the only way to ensure that these actions are stemmed.
That is the only way people will feel safe to go about their normal routine.
