The lawmaker said the newspaper honoured the police constable for his honesty and integrity to encourage other cops not to be dishonest.
Police officer Nura Mande of the Katsina command has received a cash reward of N250,000 for returning missing $800 belonging to a female pilgrim.
The money was presented to Mr Mande at the police headquarters in Katsina by a member of the Katsina House of Assembly, Ali Abu-Albaba, on behalf of an online newspaper, Katsina City News, on Thursday.
The female pilgrim misplaced the money at the Katsina Hajj camp while preparing for a trip to Saudi Arabia for the just concluded Hajj.
Mr Abu-Albaba said the newspaper decided to honour the police constable for his honesty and integrity, to encourage other cops to be honest.
“Not everyone can find such money at a place where no one was looking, and return it to the owner. We are presenting this money and the certificate to him so that it can encourage his colleagues and other members of the public to always remain honest,” Mr Abu-Albaba explained.
The legislator also disclosed that a Hajj seat had been paid for the cop by another person, to perform the 2023 pilgrimage.
He urged other well-meaning Nigerians to honour people who display positive characters.
Mr Abu-Albaba commended the police command in Katsina for the efforts made to tackle worsening insecurity in the state.
In his response, police commissioner Idris Dauda-Dabban appreciated the gesture, describing the constable’s action as inspiring. He stated that the command had also presented an award to Mr Mande for “exhibiting such good character, honesty and integrity.”
“We are happy with his conduct. The organisation he was posted to is happy and also the people of Katsina state are happy, because he is from the state,” the police chief stated. “That is to say that in any society, no matter how decadent it is, we must have good people.”
According to Mr Dauda-Dabban, the anti-graft agency, ICPC, had called to congratulate the police on Mr Mande’s honesty.
“In fact, many people have been calling me about him. Even the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission were here to greet and congratulate us because of this singular act of honesty,” added the police commissioner.
He also commended the online newspaper for rewarding the cop.
(NAN)
