By Hosea Parah, Abuja
The leadership of OHANEZE ND’IGBO in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has expressed its concerns over the mercantile activities of officers of the Nigeria Police Force on South East roads. They have lamented the hardships that people in the region face while undertaking journeys across the zone.
A delegation from the Igbo ethnic group visited the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase, retired Inspector General of Police, in his office on Thursday, November 30th, 2023. During the meeting, they raised their grievances about the high level of extortion by police officers and the indiscriminate roadblocks that have strained relations between citizens and the police.
The delegation called for the dismantling of fee-paying roadblocks in the zone, especially with the heavy traffic expected during the Christmas and New Year period in the South Zone.
Dr. Arase reassured the delegation that he would bring up the matter with the Inspector General of Police. He also took the opportunity to appeal to the leadership of OHANEZE to put an end to the incessant killings of policemen in the zone.
Expressing his concern, Dr. Arase stated, “The killings of police officers in the South East are becoming worrisome. They are being killed every day, and they should let the killers know that the police are not their enemies. The force has lost a significant number of serving officers in the South East.”
He further added, “We are your friends, stop making police wives widows; they are your sisters.”
Dr. Arase highlighted that the problem in the South East is an identity crisis and assured the delegation that the perceived marginalization of the zone in police representation had been resolved.
The leader of the delegation, Elder (Bar) Onwu Arua, President of OHANEZE ND’IGBO FCT Chapter, expressed the organization’s concern about the lack of interest among Igbos in the ongoing recruitment exercise for constables in the police force. Elder Arua called for a more elaborate plan in the police recruitment apparatus to address the disadvantages faced by the South East in the Nigeria Police structure.
The delegation’s meeting with Dr. Arase emphasizes the urgent need for improved police-citizen relations and the dismantling of roadblocks to alleviate the hardships faced by the people of the South East.