The Integrated Behavioural and Biomedical Surveillance Survey conducted in 2010 in some states has revealed that female police officers in Nigeria have a higher
prevalence of HIV/AIDS than their male counterparts.
So for those who take pleasure in immoral affairs with female police officers, take it that either you are alresy infected with HIV or you are a candidate waiting to contract it.
It is also stated that the Nigerian Police Force,
with strength of about 350,000 officers distributed across the 774 Local
Government Areas, has a higher prevalence of HIV than the Armed Forces.
The National Coordinator of Police Action
Committee on AIDS, Dr. Grace Okodu, a Commissioner of Police, said this on
Sunday evening in Abuja during her presentation on “Strengthening HIV
intervention Service For Most at Risk Persons” as part of activities marking
this year’s Worlds AIDS Day.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed
Abubakar, who also spoke at the inauguration of the Police Action Committee on
AIDS at the Force headquarters, Abuja, on Monday stated that the members of the
Nigeria Police Force constituted a significant percentage of the Nigerian
population, adding that more than half of the population of police officers and
men were young and sexually active.
Okodu noted that the HIV/AIDS response within the
NPF was not only a health sector issue but a multi-sectoral concern that
affected all aspects, ramifications and dimensions of the statutory functions of
the NPF as well as its structure and work environment.
Okodu gave an instance of where male police
recruits on training at the Police College, Ikeja, in Lagos “go wild sexually in
brothels around Ipodo Street just because they are restricted for six
months.”
She said, “This strategic plan seeks to address
the programme gaps within the HIV/AIDS response of the NPF. It will serve as a
Policy Guide for the implementation of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment, Care and
Support activities in the NPF which will be implemented by the NPF itself and
through external support.
“There is paucity of research evidence to inform
targeted and relevant HIV/AIDS programme within the NPF. However, the IBBSS 2010
offer some hope…While the NPF is a predominantly male occupation, female police
officers have been found to consistently have a higher HIV prevalence than their
male counterparts in all the states where the IBBSS was conducted.
“In all, female police officers in the FCT had
the highest prevalence at 12.7 percent compared to 5.6 percent of their male
counterparts. Sub-populations, who are especially at risk, have been identified
within the NPF. These include Police officers on peace-keeping operations,
Border patrol Police, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Mobile Police, Anti-Terrorism
unit, Highway Patrol and Medical units.”
Okodu attributed the increase in prevalence rate
in the police than other Armed Forces to funding of the armed forces.
She stated that out of the about 350,000
officers, 77 percent of them constitute the rank and file who also have “the
least of standard of accommodation.”
“Wherever there is strife there is always sexual
activities. Police barracks environment possesses several factors that can
promote sexual behaviour. Behavioural change is necessary; we want to reduce
stigma in the barracks,” she stressed.
This report was culled from Punch Newspaper
