Why I withdrew policemen from Imo recovery c’ttee –CP

The Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Rabiu Ladodo, has explained why he withdrew the policemen attached to the Imo Assets Recovery Committee headed by Chief Jasper Ndubuaku, the senior special assistant to Governor Emeka Ihedioha on Security.

Among the reasons, according to him, was the disturbing fact that armed policemen deployed to the committee were clearly and unilaterally engaging in illegal activities without the committee members.

The commissioner was reacting to allegations by Ndubuaku that he denied the committee police protection, which led to the assault on him (Ndubuaku), by suspected thugs loyal to former Governor Rochas Okorocha. Speaking through a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, SP Orlando Ikeokwu, the police commissioner said Ndubuaku and his committee were denied police protection due to; “complaints on hostile and aggressive approach of the committee using armed policemen attached to the committee; constant intimidation of victims and other members of the public in the course of their operations.”

The statement, however, indicted the policemen attached to the committee of engaging in unlawful activities. It reads in part: “Policemen operating without the presence of the committee members and sometimes the policemen going for recovery operations on their own of which the Commissioner of Police personally intervened; operating at unholy hours (in some cases only the armed police personnel) thus causing serious embarrassment to the force and the state government.

“Consequent upon the said complaints, the Commissioner of Police withdrew the personnel and summoned the committee chairman, Jasper Ndubuaku.” According to the statement, Ndubuaku apologised and promised to follow due process in subsequent operations. However, the reverse was the case, leading to the recent withdrawal of the policemen.