Some district police officers in charge of police stations in the South East region of Nigeria have discontinued night duties, ordering officers to vacate their duty posts by 8pm in the evening.
According to a police source in Anambra State, the decision was made following the attack and killing of police personnel by unidentified gunmen.
The security source said the officers were also ordered to avoid traveling or going out alone in official uniform, which the force says puts them at risk of being attacked or kidnapped.
“The instruction was not only passed on to our officers here in Anambra, others in the southeast, including Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, were given same order,” the source said.
Meanwhile, another police source in Imo State revealed that state officers mainly operate on plain clothes to track crimes and activities of gunmen.
“We also have officers who give us information,” said the undercover mobile police officer.
Police and other security agencies have arrested and detained dozens of youth in the southeast since unknown gunmen stepped up attacks on police facilities and security agents.
Human rights groups have repeatedly accused security agents in the region of unlawful arrests, torture, extrajudicial executions and other wrongdoings.