Imo PCRC urges conveners to stop planned protest against brutality, others

The Imo State chapter of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has urged the convener of the planned protest in Mbaise to call it off.

The protest, aimed at addressing alleged brutality, harassment, and extortion by security joint patrol teams along the Owerri–Mbaise–Umuahia road, has drawn concern from the PCRC leadership, who are calling for dialogue instead of demonstration.

Briefing journalists in Owerri on Monday, the state chairman of PCRC, Dr. Bethran Uzodinma, said that the call for change of idea is based on the fact that such situations could be hijacked by hoodlums to cause panic and confusion, which might result in waste of lives in the state.

He said that PCRC, concerned about the protest, has immediately reached out to both the Imo State Commissioner of Police and the Brigade Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, on the complaints of people.

The chairman said that the Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, the Commissioner of Police Imo State, as well as heads of other para-military agencies involved in the joint patrol, have already risen up to their duties of addressing the problems without further delay.

He advised the conveners and other people involved in the planned protest to step back from their action and give peace a chance.

Uzodinma assured that under his watch as the state chairman, no Imo person will be humiliated, adding that he would prefer a situation where security agencies would live to perform their legitimate duties while the people would equally live.

Adding his voice, the immediate past state chairman of PCRC, Chima Chukwunyere, said the PCRC is completely against the protest now to avoid people cashing in on the situation to unleash mayhem on innocent people.

He said that, already, the heads of security agencies from their intervention have given yellow cards to their officers in the patrol team.

Chukwunyere said that given the strong promises from the heads of security agencies in the state, he assured the PCRC’s resolve to engage in constant monitoring of the roads and the activities of the joint patrol.

He, however, called on the Public to also use the available phone numbers – 08081613573, 09065185559, 08034773600, 08148024755 to report any officer of the security joint patrol to the appropriate office for punishment.

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