AIG Zone 6 Inducts 50 Into Officers’ Mess

Fifty persons ranging from bishops, lawyers, chiefs, doctors, and businessmen on Monday, 16 May took up membership of Zone Six Police Officers’ Mess after being inducted into the Mess by the Zone 6 Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mohammed D. Abubakar at the Zone 6 Police Headquarters in Calabar, Southsouth Nigeria.

The induction of the members into the mess which the AIG said was honorary, is to get members of the public close to the police who serve them and also to build the confidence of members of the public in the police who are their friend.

Mr Abubakar said in all the zones he has served, only Zone 6 Police Command has an officers’ mess which he said is borne out of his desire to maintain the culture, tradition and values of the police force for the benefit of the younger generation.

“Five months ago, I went round the compound on inspection and realised that we have a place that can be a mess but the place was in a mess. I there and then made a pledge that I will make the place worth the status befitting an officers mess,” he told the guests.

According to Abubakar, many young people in the police today do not know the culture and tradition of the police and through their effective membership of the mess, they would acquire the ethics, culture and spirit of comradeship inherent in the force.

He said the Officer’s Mess is a place to relax after a hectic day at work before going back home and as well keep police officers away from beer parlours, canteens, cafeteria, restaurants and other places which are not safe for them.

“Before now, when a policeman wants to eat he goes to the restaurant outside where he eats anything he is given but with the Officer’s Mess now, he can take food, drinks, pepper soup to refresh himself and he is confident that what he is taking is what he asked for,” he declared.

The AIG said members of the public who have taken up membership of the mess can socialise with the police and advised them to make good use of the identity cards issued them.

“In the mess everybody is a man and what you see here, what you do here is as a man and if you are not regular in the mess after three months you lose your membership of the mess,” he said.

He advised the members to feel free to interact with the police and officers of the other services whose membership of the mess is automatic by virtue of their career as military or paramilitary officers.

The high point of the ceremony was the swearing of oath to abide by the ethics and rules of the mess which was administered by Abubakar himself.
By Emma Una/ Calabar