DPOs, Others Get Warning Over Extortion

Officers and men of  Nigeroapolice in Rivers State who engage in extortion of money from members of the public would have themselves to blame as the state police authorities are set to wield the big stick on offenders.

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba gave the warning to Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the graduation of police trainees on counter-terrorism specialist course at the Police Training School in Nonwa, Tai local government area of the state.

The police commissioner said the new order to discipline corrupt police officers is in line with the transformation of the police in order to reposition the Nigeria Police Force, and to infuse respect and dignity amongst officers.

Abba said all returns made by the charge room officers and Sectional Heads are also bound. Also bound include returns made by investigators to their Superior Heads, as well as those made by DPOs to Area Commands.

The Rivers Police boss reiterated that the decision to bound all corrupt practices in the force formed part of the order given by the Inspector-General of police and other top ranking officers to reform the agency.

He declared, “discouraging returns from policemen to their superiors is the best way of fighting corruption.

The Commissioner assured that a special team would be set up to monitor activities of policemen at check points and therefore enjoined members of the public to support the crusade.

Meanwhile, a notorious car snatcher Chibuike Eze alias Jimmy Black declared wanted since September last year by the police authorities in Rivers State has been killed by detectives near East West Road in Port Harcourt.

Eze and one Martins Udochukwu met their waterloo  last week when  on leading police detectives to their arms cache located in a bush near East-West Road decided to attack the policemen.

One of them had hit one of the detectives on the jaw with his hand cuffed hand while the other fled. However, the policemen shot at them, overpowered and re-arrested them.

It was on their way to the hospital for treatment that they both gave up the ghost.

Two exotic cars snatched at gun point were recovered from them including two locally made double barrel pistol and two live cartridges concealed in a black polythene bag containing several bank wrappers and rubber bands.

Rivers State Police spokeswoman, Dr Rita Inoma –Abbey in a press statement said five victims of the robbery attacks identified the suspects as their attacker before their demise.

She said efforts are being made to arrest the fleeing members of the gang and assured of the readiness of police towards ridding the state from all forms of crimes.

Asiemea Amachree