Police Clarify Burglary In Ebonyi Govt Offices

The Police Command in Ebonyi has clarified the theft in some state governmental offices in Abakaliki on Friday morning, saying it was burglary and not armed robbery.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi, Mr Sylvester Igbo, made the clarification in an interview with newsmen in Abakaliki it would be recalled that some offices of the Ebonyi State Civil Service Commission, the State Community and Social Development Agency, Ebonyi State Scholarship Board and State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency were burgled. All the offices are located at Amagu Street, Abakaliki.

“Those circulating the report are misinformed as police can authoritatively report that it was a burglary incident.

“Contrary to the reports, only a total of N151, 000 belonging to staff of the agencies was stolen and not huge sums of government money.

“We also discovered that vital documents and office equipment, such as computers, printers among others, were not carted away by the burglars as was reported.

“We appeal to members of the public, especially the press, to confirm the sources of their information before publicising them,” Igbo said.

He promised that the police would ensure that the culprits were arrested and punished.

“Investigation has commenced on the incident and we would require the assistance of the public to actualise this objective,” Igbo said. Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ebonyi State Civil Service Commission, Chief Harrison Onwe, has condemned the attack and expressed concern that such incident was becoming a trend in the state.

“Breaking into government offices has become frequent in the state, efforts should be intensified by relevant authorities to nip the trend in the bud.

“Security should be tightened at various government offices in the state, to check such incidences,” he said.