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– Confirms arrest of 43 MASSOB Members
Anambra State Police Command, has arrested a 32-year old man, Abdul Makong, a native of Gari-Lamido in Taraba state for impersonating as deputy Superintendent of police (DSP).
The arrest, according to the state Police Commissioner, Hosea Karma, followed a tip off when he went to the palace of a traditional ruler in Awka-South local government area of the state, urging the people to bring some money so that he could recruit interested members into the force in the community.
He said the impersonator had been going about extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public to assist them get recruited into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Karma made this known Tueday in Awka, after receiving assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of zone 9 Umuahia, Usman Gwary.
Furthermore, he disclosed that the command had also arrested 43 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
While parading the suspected fake police man, Karma said that the suspect had just finished a prison term in April after he was convicted in 2013 in connection with the same offence.
He however, warned members of the public to beware of the likes of Makong, adding that recruitment into the Nigeria police force had transparent process devoid of any corrupt manipulation.
Speaking with reporters, the suspect confessed that he just came out of the prison last April, adding that he was a graduate of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, where he obtained a degree certificate in Political Science in 2008.
He alleged that he was forced into crime because he could not get a gainful employment opportunity, adding that it was a friend who lured him into impersonation.
Addressing officers and men of the state police command, the AIG, Usman Gwary said that his visit was in response to the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Solomon Arase that he should tour police headquarters in the zone to lecture them on the new security policy of the current administration.
He said that South East zone from the recent investigation conducted by a special team set up by the IG, was rated among the most peaceful zones in the country.
Gwary however, warned officers and men of the state command not to condone act that would compromise peaceful security atmosphere prevailing in the state.
Furthermore, he warned them to ensure that they do not allow MASSOB members to disturb the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the state, even as he commended the state police Command in its efforts in flushing out criminal elements from the area.
Again, the Police boss Urged them to adopt religiously the various security policies marshaled out by the IG.
He also called on the police command to work seriously in collaboration with other sister agencies, while commending the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano for the various forms of support his administration had given the police command.
According to the AIG “Since we can’t thank him (Governor Obiano) enough, all we shall do is to continue thanking him”
Earlier the CP had enumerated the various problems confronting the command to the AIG, including the physical structure and location of the state command, lack of police barracks and shortage of man- power.
