Extortion: CP Reads Riot Act

The Commissioner of Police in Abia State Mr Ambrose Aisabor, on Tuesday threatened to discipline policemen for acts of extortion and high handedness.

Aisabor, who made the disclosure in an interview in Umuahia, said already a signal had been sent to all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) on the matter.

He said that deployment of policemen at some nipping points across the state was not designed for the police to extort monies and harass the members of the public.

“Last week, somebody phoned me that counter terrorism team deployed on Enugu/Port Harcourt highway were extorting monies from motorists and I told the officer in-charge to remove all of them immediately. “If you see any policeman doing any illegal thing kindly report him to me because the decision to designate some policemen at the nipping points is not for them to get involved in illegalities,’’ he said.

Aisabor also warned that no policeman serving in the state had the authority to accompany tax officers for revenue drives, noting that such negates the rules of engagement of the police.

“I do not want to hear the report that somebody did not install fire extinguisher in his/her shop, they use police to arrest the person.

“Any policeman that does that kind of job if reported will certainly lose his/her job. “If any person refuses to pay tax or levy, go to court and complain and it is the discretion of the court to make an order for police to arrest the person,’’ he said.

Aisabor said apart from some policemen approved to join the Abia State Environmental and Allied Matters Taskforce, no other policeman has the authority to accompany revenue team in the state.

He charged policemen working under him to always discharge their duties with utmost sense of responsibilities.

The commissioner added that the present management under the Inspector-General of Police had zero tolerance for indiscipline.