AKWA IBOM POLICE AND ESCAPE OF DETAINED CRIMINALS

It beats one’s imagination that security matters that are supposed to be taken seriously are left to frivolities. Sometime in July, 2010, the media reported that some criminals (kidnap suspect, assassins and armed robbers) detained in custody of Akwa Ibom Police Command ‘organized’ jailbreak. Police Commissioner Walter Rugbere alleged that politicians he never named were responsible. Unless Akwa Ibom Police Command ensures that those criminals are arrested back, it would go to show that it helped in organising the jailbreak. Before Rugbere leaves Akwa Ibom, he must be made to account for those criminals he may have released back into our society.

Since the escape of those criminals (numbering more than one hundred) no news has been heard from the Police Commissioner who promised that the escapees were surely to be recaptured. The Police Commissioner is fond of making unguarded, biased and false statements. His actions and statements smack of good leadership for a man whose responsibility it is to ensure that criminals are handled the proper way and in whose custody those criminals escaped from and up till today has not apprehend any of them. Such a Police Officer should not be allowed to (still) remain in the Police Force as he may remain a willing tool; nevertheless information filtering says that he would leave the Police Force end of November, 2010.

The onus is on the new Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim to focus his attention on the activities of his officers and men, for efficient and trusted Police Force. Ringim on assumption of office warned that any Police officer found playing politics or does not face his job squarely and sincerely would be shown the way out; yet it was through his political escapade that he landed the present position, judging by the circumstances that threw him up. He has demonstrated his first partisanship by bringing back a case that framed Senator Udoedehe which his predecessor (Onovo) had fully investigated and found nothing incriminating the Senator. One is yet to see what difference Ringim would bring to bear on Police attitude to work; after all he has been in the system. One should not expect much from him.

Engineer Etim George, Plot 239 Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, LAGOS.