The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, has told officers of the Delta Police Command to go tough on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and criminals in the state.
IGP Baba said this during a familarisation visit to the state police command in Asaba on Monday.
According to the IGP, there are spills over of IPOB members from Onitsha to Asaba, noting that it is why officers must be prepared to deal with any criminal group.
“You are trying your best but your best is not good enough. Anything that happen in Anambra State will affect Delta State, especially Asaba.
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“That is why you must prepare to deal with any criminal, especially IPOB group. There are spills over agitation or demonstration from Onitsha to Asaba.
“Brace up to IPOB challenge because it is a proscribed organisation and treat them as such,” he said.
The police chief also promised the command that logistics such as bullet-proof vests, teargas canisters, helmets and others would be provided for them before November.
According to a report, the outgoing Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday, directed officers and men of the Nigeria Police to use brute force against members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing the Eastern Security Network (ESN) who he described as outlaws.
The IGP assured that the attackers have no hiding place as they will be apprehended.
Adamu, who was at the Imo State Police Command headquarters on Tuesday to assess the damage caused by the gunmen, directed that the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force must allow insurgents and criminals free reign in the country.
The IGP, who was miffed by the level of destruction at the Imo State Police Command, said that those who delight in attacking police formation should be ruthlessly dealt with.
‘The attackers will not go scotfree. You should deal ruthlessly with those that takes delight in attacking security agencies. Don’t allow then to exist, they should be annihilated from the society because they are criminals. And from now henceforth you have to change your tactics inorder to curtail their activities,’ the IGP said.
‘The local authorities should feel concerned about the activities of these outlaws and there is the need for all of us to work together to fish out those criminals by providing the police with information of their activities, their sponsors so that we can effectively end their illegal operations. Those who were released from the Owerri Correctional Service Centre are members of the Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network. Don’t hide them because if you do you may also fall victim of the attack.’
The IGP assured that the police high command, having taken an assessment of the damages, would commence renovation of the Imo State Police Command headquarters and that the burnt operational vehicles would also be replaced .
‘We will commence the renovation of the damaged offices and the operational vehicles will also be replaced so that officers and men of Imo State Command will continue with their duties. We will not be deterred by the attacks of criminals.’
