Theft Of Rifles: Plateau Police Sack Illegal Occupants From Barracks

JOS, August 14, (THEWILL) - To prevent further stealing of rifles from barracks, the Plateau State Police Command has started demolishing illegal structures and ejecting illegal occupants within all police barracks in the state.

The barrack sanitation exercise started from the Mobile unit on Thursday and is being supervised by the Squadron Commander, SP Aniete Eyoh.

No fewer than four AK 47 rifles have been stolen by a syndicate in the barracks said to be operating in connivance with outsiders.

The syndicate is believed to be headed by the son of an Inspector of Police living in the barracks.

Some of the structures demolished include a car parking lot which has been appropriated by some police officers for residential use.

Plateau Commissioner of Police Ikechukwu Aduba who gave reasons for the action said it is part of the reform agenda of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo.

He explained that those evicted include police officers who had retired more than five years ago and were still living in the barracks.

"The rule is that at certain age, you are not supposed to live in the barracks because such children constitute nuisance there and that’s why you have rampant cases of theft and other misdemeanours and when you retire you leave the barracks.

"Policemen deserve decent accommodation and not the make shift arrangement they have turned some of the surroundings into and we are relocating those in need of accommodation to decent places to make our barracks neat and tidy," he stated.

He said that one of the illegal structures demolished was the police garage, which was turned into a living quarters by the policemen and assured that the exercise will be carried out in all police barracks in the state.