…CP Didn’t Order Police Personnel To Barracks – Police
By Tony Adibe
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has called for the immediate removal of the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Ammani. OYC claimed that the lives of the Enugu State residents were now in total danger under the watch of the commissioner.
The OYC call was as a result of a purported order said to be from the CP, asking police personnel under various units and formations in the State to remain in their barracks until further notice. The order was said to be contained in a signal by the Commissioner of Police to all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Heads of Department, and Heads of Tactical Units in the State.
The signal ordered all officers and personnel in the State to remain in their barracks until further notice, warning that any official or personnel who violated the order shall be disciplined.
“Given the prevalent security situation in Enugu State, the Commissioner of Police has ordered, with immediate effect, that all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Heads of Department, Heads of Tactical Units in the state and the officers and personnel are, hereby, confounded to barracks until further notice.
“Any officer who violates this sworn-in shall be isolated for severe disciplinary action. Make this subject of lecture to your personnel, and confirm compliance by return signal,” the signal stated.
But the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ammani has debunked the alleged order asking policemen to return to the barracks with immediate effect. Contacted, the DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, described the purported order as “unfounded, false, misleading and mischievous.”
NewsBits reports that within the past few weeks there have been security breaches in the State, with both residents and security personnel as victims.
The latest was on Saturday, during when at least five civilians were killed by armed miscreants enforcing sit-at-home. A police patrol vehicle was also burnt in the process. In an open letter to the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman, OYC said any delay in the removal of the CP would spell doom for the residents of the State.
OYC said in the letter signed by Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the National President of the Youth Council that “the signal in circulation means that the CP has abdicated his responsibility.
“Before now, we had earlier raised the alarm that there is a connivance between some security personnel and criminals ravaging the State in forms of kidnappers and Fulani herdsmen. Most of the roads in Enugu State are now safe haven for these marauders; Eha-Amufu, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area is now a shadow of itself, with thousands of residents now living in neighbouring towns as Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.
“But what have we got? A Police Chief who should lead the war to the den of these hoodlums has handed over the State to the criminals by pulling his men back to the barracks. It is in the light of this that we prevail on you, the IGP Sir, to immediately remove the CP from Enugu State as he has shown lack of capacity to police Enugu State.
“We are sending the SOS to you on behalf of the distressed people of Enugu State whose fate now hangs in the balance. Boko Haram and bandits have ravaged many Northern States for over a decade now, but we have never seen any CP recall his men to barracks. The directive by the Enugu CP is not only weird but unprofessional.
“The Police Service Commission should be alive to its responsibility and not let this negligence of duty slide. We also urge the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and the National Assembly to beam their searchlight on the happenings in Enugu State, as our people are now endangered species.
“We alert the entire Nigerians and the international community that there is a looming genocide and massacre of Enugu State residents. Enugu is now in a total state of anarchy and the time to stop it is now,” OYC declared.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe described the purported order as “unfounded, false, misleading and mischievous.”
Ndukwe in a statement issued by the Command said: “Enugu State Police Command is in receipt of a viral social media message and picture of a purported Police Wireless Message, stating that the Command’s authority has ordered its personnel to ‘desert the street, their offices, duty posts and remain confined to barracks due to prevalent security challenges facing the entire State’.
“It, therefore, wishes to categorically state that the report is not only unfounded, false and misleading, but clearly the handiwork of mischief-makers, seeking for avenues to cause panic amongst the peace-loving citizens of the State.
“Consequently, it is important to state, for the avoidance of doubt, that the Commissioner of Police did not at any point issue such orders, directing personnel of the Command to abandon their duties and be confined to barracks, as purported and being circulated, neither did he delegate any of his immediate lieutenants to issue same.
“It is also very important to clarify that the Nigeria Police Force remains a fully regimented agency of government, with clear and defined channels of internal and external communication. Hence, would not have relayed a message meant for internal to its external audience, as being circulated on social media.
“To this end, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani has enjoined the citizenry to disregard such baseless narrative, while reiterating that the Command remains focused and committed to professionally discharge its duties on a daily basis, in line with the statutory mandates of the Nigeria Police Force.”
