ABUJA—The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has redeployed the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, over alleged partisanship.
Egbetokun said, “We are aware that there are allegations against the Commissioner of Police in Imo. Before the elections, we’re changing the CP. This is not to say the CP has been found guilty. But for neutrality sake, we are changing the Commissioner of Police in Imo State.”
Releases 220 operational vehicles for security
In a related development, the IGP has ordered the distribution of 220 operational vehicles for security management in anticipation of the gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a post on the official X handle of the Nigerian Police said, the vehicles include water cannons, armored personnel carriers, helmets, bulletproof vests, and tear gas canisters.
To raise the morale of the police officers during the operations, Egbetokun had previously planned training for the officers involved in managing election security for the upcoming elections and had requested permission from the Federal Government to pay their allowances and provide other essential support.
He further urged stakeholders in the three states to maintain peace during the election.
The statement partly reads “In a bid to have smooth electioneering processes in the forthcoming off-cycle Gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States scheduled for 11th November 2023, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has ordered the distribution of additional 220 operational vehicles, including water canons, Armored Personnel Carriers, helmets, bulletproof vests, tear gas canisters etc, to the 3 affected states to intensify security arrangements for the elections.
“Earlier, the IGP had organised training for the police officers, who are involved in the election security management for the forthcoming elections and sought the approval of the Federal Government for the payment of their allowances and other necessary support to boost the morale of the officers during the operations.
“The IGP, therefore, urges all stakeholders in the three states to embrace peace, uphold the sanctity of the rule of law and be law-abiding in their endeavours before, during and after the elections as the Police and other security agencies have been placed on alert to avert any unruly acts capable of disrupting the elections in any of the states.
Meanwhile, the verbal war between the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State over last week’s attacks on the former’s president, Joe Ajaero, continued yesterday as the labour centre called on President Bola Tinubu to break his silence and call the governor to order over the terror allegedly unleashed on the state.
The NLC alleged that barely three days after Uzodimma sent thugs and the Police to brutalize its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the governor on Saturday allegedly invaded and attacked his (Ajaero) home town, Azalla Owalla, at Emekuku in Owerri, the state capital, to continue his onslaught.
But Governor Uzodimma in a swift reaction, insisted he had no hand in either the NLC president’s ordeal or the invasion of his community.
However, NLC in a statement issued by Comrade Benson Upah, Head, Media and Information, alleged that the mission was to allegedly assassinate Comrade Ajaero under the misguided belief that he was still present, recovering from injuries inflicted on him by the police and hired thugs on November I.
Uzodimma, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Print Media, Amby Uneze, said: “It is in the public domain that the government has no hand in what happened.
“Even the report of the Police said Ajaero was saved from being mobbed. It was mob action and the Police saved him. It was based on Police investigation.”