The leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja paid a courtesy visit to the Police Service Commission Chairman, Dr Solomon Arase CFR , the Apex social cultural organization Abuja branch used the opportunity to decried the mercantile activities of officers of the Nigeria Police Force on South East roads , couple with the hardship the people go through when traveling along the Southeast zones.
Mr Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press Media and Publicity of the Commission while issuing the statement on Thursday the 30th of November,2023 said the delegation of the Igbo ethnic group complained of the unprofessional disposition of the police officers on the expressway while acquaints themselves nominal role on high level of extortions and indiscriminate road blocks by the designated Police Officers.
Ani further said, it should be recalled that yuletide period is closing by and the traffic will be intolerable, hence the Ohaneze Ndigbo Abuja called for dismantling the extorting road blocks to ensure smooth passage during the Christmas period.
Responding to the aforesaid, Dr Solomon Arase CFR promised to inform the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun PhD NPM, of the grievances, he used the opportunity to plead to the leadership to ensure the safety of Police Officers in the zone and stop killings of policemen in the southeastern Nigeria.
” The killings of Police Officers in the South East is becoming worrisome. They are killing them everyday and they should let the killers know that the Police is not there enemy. They have not done anything wrong. The Force have lost quite a number of serving Officers in the South East”, Dr Arase has said.
According to the former Inspector General of Police , “We are your friends, stop making Police wives widows, they are your sisters” ,
Dr. Arase pinpoint the problem of the South East, stating it is that of identity crisis adding that ” we have resolved the perceived marginalisation of the zone in the Police representation in the country.
Reacting , the Organization was concerned about the lack of interest of the Igbos in the current ongoing recruitment exercise for Constables into the Police Force. The leader of the Delegation, Elder (Bar) Onwu Arua, President OHANEZE ND’IGBO FCT Chapter pointed their observation to Dr Arase.
He however called for a more elaborate plan in Police Recruitment apparatus to redress the disadvantages of South East in the Nigeria Police structure.
