Police Arrest Six Fake Traffic Offcials In PH

Six miscreants that have been terrorising, harassing and defrauding unsuspecting motorists and other road users as officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development on traffic duties have been arrested by the police in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Luck ran out on the miscreants when a combined team of development control task force officials of the ministry and operatives of the Olu Obasanjo Police Station swooped on them as they were carrying out their nefarious illegal traffic control activities and harassment of motorists at the Hotel Presidential Bus Stop, last week.

Those arrested are Wisdom Neekue, Darius Liberty, Jeremiah Chime, Ngorfa Christopher, Tamunopakiriba Briggs and Dedeala Dede.

Following police investigations and interrogation, three of the six suspects were yesterday charged to a Port Harcourt Magistrate Court.

The presiding magistrate, Chief Magistrate E.C. Woke, after the prosecution had read the charges preferred against the accused, ordered that they be remanded in prison custody, and adjoined the case to April 17, 2013 for proper hearing.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Urban Development, Dr Tammy Danagogo, has commended the police operatives for their cooperation and support in arresting the miscreants, and emphasised that government would continue to deal with impostors and impersonators.

Danagogo reiterated that the ministry was not involved in traffic control and management, and advised any member of the public with useful information that would lead to the arrest of others still terrorising motorists on the roads to alert the ministry or any nearby police station for immediate action.

Also speaking, the Sole Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam, commended the police over the arrest of the impostors, and assured that the authority will work with the Ministry of Urban Development to flush out all those who defraud the public under the guise of government task force officials.

Beemene Taneh