Imo state police command denies assaulting NSCDC officers, shares his own side of what transpired

”The attention of the Imo State Police Command has been drawn to a information making rounds on social media captioned “Police Assault Civil Defence Personnel in Imo State”. It’s most unfortunate that, some news media will publish stories with out confirming similar to ascertain the true information of the story.

The Command view this with all seriousness and sees it as a calculated try to dent the robust synergy the Command is enjoying with other Safety Agencies within the state because the assumption of office by the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc+.

The true information of the incident that occurred on the 25/4/2022 at about 1630 hours, in the Civil Defense Corps Office, was that on 24/4/2022 at about 2010 hours, a Police Superintendent Ezenwanne Nonso, a Mobile Police Officer and the Armament Officer of No. 18 Mobile Police Force, Owerri,  was driving in his automobile heading to Imo Police Command Headquarters on an assignment, on reaching Control Post Round About, there was a heavy traffic Jam, the place drivers had been making an attempt to maneuver their automobiles to free themselves from the traffic.  While the officer was making an attempt to make way for himself, the Civil Defence Personnel who alighted from his rear, hit the Police Officer’s car violently, shouting and ordering him to take away his car from the street. He replied the Civil Defence Officer that he’s equally making an attempt to see how he can free himself from the visitors, just for the Civil Defence Officer to slap him hard on his face calling him a silly man. At that time he alighted from his car, introducing himself as a Police Superintendent serving at Police Mobil Base, Owerri. It was as if he angered him the more and he gave him another slap and others joined in beating him. The police officer then brought out his telephone to place a call to his Commanding Officer however they seized the telephone, rushed into their car and zoomed off.

The police officer needed to manage and followed them to their workplace. On getting there, he demanded for his telephone, however they refused moderately they dragged him into their office, beat him up and seized his service pistol. After a lot torture, he was locked up in their cell not minding his plea to call his Commanding Officer. The officer slept in the cell until the following day.

For the delicate office the officer is holding, his disappearance grew to become alarming to each office in the Base and so they had been suspecting kidnapping. Therefore, a search party was organized. When all efforts made to trace his whereabout proved abortive, his cellphone was tracked and the end result led the team to the Civil Defence Headquarters Owerri.

On arrival, the team of Policemen made inquiries to verify if there was any Police officer detained in their custody. The Civil Defence Personnel grew to become hostile, ordering them to go away or they may shoot them. When the Police insisted, they began shooting into the air. The Mobile Police Officers sensing danger, professionally used minimal force to defend themselves by using teargas. Hence, the Civil Defence Personnel scampered for security and in the process the Police Superintendent was rescued gallantly from their custody leaving no one damage or injured.

It’s pertinent to say here that in the ethics of the Power, each time any member of the Power is arrested by any Safety Agency, it’s obligatory that the arrested personnel’s office is instantly informed, which is the usual practice.

It’s laughable {that a} very Senior Police Officer of the rank of a Superintendent was arrested and detained for over Twenty-4 (24) hours by the Civil Defence Corps, Imo Command and the Commandant by no means deemed it necessary to tell the Commissioner of Police as required by regulation, moreso, when the victim pleaded for them to permit him put a call to his Commanding Officer or the Commissioner of Police.

In the meantime, the officer is presently on admission at the Police Medical Centre, Amakohia.

The Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, psc+ while commending Imolites for their unalloyed assist, pleaded for calm and appealed to Imolites go about their lawful companies with out fear of harassment. He then directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of State Criminal Investigation Division (SCIID) to start detailed investigation into the remote cause of the incident, promising that, at the conclusion of investigation the end result will probably be made public.”