The Imo State Police Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corpse have accused each other over a clash which involved the Mobil Police Superintendent serving at the Mobile base Owerri and NSCDC personnel also serving at the Owerri Command.
Both authorities have openly claimed right over what transpired thereby accusing each other of being guilty of the unfortunate incident.
In a statement issued in Owerri Wednesday by the Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abatham, the Imo State Police condemned the social media report that the Police attacked the Civil Defense personnel in the state.
The command spokesman said that an incident occurred on Monday 25th April 2022 when Police Superintendent Ezenwanne Nonso, a Mobile Police Officer and the Armament Officer of No. 18 Mobile Police Force, Owerri, was driving in his car heading to Imo Police Command Headquarters on an assignment.
On reaching to Control Post roundabout, there was a heavy traffic Jam,and drivers were trying to maneuver their vehicles to free themselves from the traffic.
He said while the officer was trying to make way for himself, the Civil Defence Personnel who alighted from his rear, hit the Police Officer’s vehicle violently, shouting and ordering him to remove his vehicle from the road.
The Police officer replied the Civil Defence Officer that he is equally trying to see how he can free himself from the traffic, only for the Civil Defence Officer to slap him hard on his face calling him a stupid man.
At that point according time him he alighted from his vehicle, introducing himself as a Police Superintendent serving at Police Mobil Base, Owerri.
It was as if he angered him the more and he gave him another slap and others joined in beating him.
The PPRO said the police officer then brought out his phone to put a call to his Commanding Officer but the Civil Defense personnels seized the phone, rushed into their vehicle and zoomed off.
He said that the police officer had to manage and followed them to their office.
On getting there, the police officer demanded for his phone, but they refused rather they dragged him into their office, beat him up and seized his service pistol.
According to PPRO after much torture, he was locked up in their cell not minding his plea to call his Commanding Officer where he slept till the next day.
As his disappearance according to PPRO, it became alarming to every office in the base vecause of the sensitive he is holding, a search party was organized.
He said when all efforts made to trace his whereabout proved abortive, his phone was tracked and the result led the team to the Civil Defence Headquarters Owerri.
Abatham said that a police team on 25th April,2022 was dispatched and on arrival at the NSCDC command, they made enquiries to confirm if there was any Police officer detained in their custody but the Civil Defence Personnel became hostile, ordering them to leave or they will shoot them.
He said that when the Police insisted, the Civil Defense personnels started shooting into the air.
Abatham said that when the Mobile Police Officers sensing danger, professionally used minimal force to defend themselves by using teargas hence, the Civil Defence Personnel scampered for safety and in the process the Police Superintendent was rescued gallantly from their custody leaving nobody hurt or injured.
The Police spokesman said that in the ethics of the force, whenever any member of the Force is arrested by any Security Agency, it is mandatory that the arrested personnel’s office is immediately informed, which is the standard practice.
He described it as laughable that a very Senior Police Officer of the rank of a Superintendent was arrested and detained for over Twenty-Four (24) hours by the Civil Defence Corps, Imo Command and the Commandant never deemed it necessary to inform the Commissioner of Police as required by law, moreso, when the victim pleaded for them to allow him put a call to his Commanding Officer or the Commissioner.
He said that the officer is presently on admission at the Police Medical Centre, Amakohia.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo Command, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde,while commending Imolites for their unalloyed support, pleaded for calm and appealed to Imolites go about their lawful businesses without fear of harassment.
He then directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID) to commence detailed investigation into the remote cause of the incident, promising that, at the conclusion of investigation the outcome will be made public.
The PPRO said that the Command view this with all seriousness and sees it as a calculated attempt to dent the robust synergy the Command is enjoying with other Security Agencies in the state since the assumption of office by the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde
Briefing journalists at the NSCDC command on Tuesday in Owerri, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Michael Ogar said that the attack was in connection with an earlier detained man, one Nonso Ezenwanne, who claimed to be a Policeman, but with multiple identification cards.
Ogar explained that his personnel had an altercation with Ezenwanne following the disruption of his motorcade while returning from the scene of inferno at an illegal oil bunkering site in the state on Sunday.
He said: “As though, that wasn’t enough, he trailed us to Owerri and blocked my motorcade again and brought out a pistol threatening to shoot us but he was later disarmed and arrested”.
The commandabt said that heI had reached out to the former Acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Giwa, to identify the suspect which is the norm, but yielded no result as he said he had been transferred to Kaduna. We didn’t see anybody to identify him.
He said that he was on his way to see MOPOL 18 Commander, just about 10 meters away from NSCDC office, that he saw eight vehicles that blocked me and started shooting into the air and my vehicle.
He said: “They dragged me out, flogged and bartered me, and later took me to their command where they continued to beat me with sticks and barton,”.
He said after about three hours, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations later came to his rescue and took him home.
According to him, he came back to hid office to see the extent of damage caused and then realised that two of his personnel got bullet injuries and were receiving treatment in hospital.
While noting that his official car and some exhibits parked around the office vicinity were damaged, the commandant added that the attackers also made away with his phones, pistol and an AK 47.
He said: ‘they accepted that the items were in their custody and that the matter will be resolved today.
“I told them that this incident is a disgrace to security agencies; I was surprised. I don’t think we are here to flex muscles or pursue work ego but to defend our fatherland.
He said: “i was highly disappointed and embarrassed by the action of MOPOL 18,” Ogar said, while noting that the detained man was also taken away by the attackers during the incident.
Narrating his ordeal, NSCDC Head of Operations, Deputy Commandant Benjamin Nwaokafor, who was receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, told NAN that he only discovered himself in the hospital after the incident.
He said: “I was shot in my hand and left leg. I can’t move them now”.
However residents and motorists around the office of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) on Okigwe Road, Owerri, the Imo capital had scampered for safety following sporadic gunshots fired on that Monday evening.
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