A pan-Igbo human rights group, Ndi- Igbo Voice, has urged the Police Service Commission and the Inspector- General of Police to halt “the deliberate, proposed plan to transfer policemen from South-East to Boko Haram troubled states.” It was learnt that about 97 policemen and officers, were pencilled down to be transferred from Imo State to Borno State.
Addressing a World Press Conference in Owerri in Imo State at the weekend, Chief Uzoma Anunihu, President-General of the group, warned that such the move was ill-intentioned since the policemen to be transferred did not understand the terrain of the Boko Haram troubled states of the North. Anunihu said that policemen especially those from Imo State had not been duly trained in counter- terrorism in order to effectively equip them for the task ahead.
“Again, why must it be solely a massive transfer of policemen within Imo State Police Command; and others from the South- East that are being pushed to the North?” He queried. “If such deployment should be made, it should have a national spread considering the nature of work and hostility of the said troubled northern states.
“We should recall the Ombatse group case, where over 110 security operatives, who included police officers and SSS Operatives, were allegedly ambushed and killed in a mysterious way. And up till now, no single arrest has been made and no progressive investigation is done on the matter.
“Again, we cannot easily forget the attack on Nigerian Army troop, meant for the Sudan Mission, on their way to Lagos in Akure by suspected terrorists few months ago,’’ he said. The group, however, urged the Chairman of Police Service Commission, Mr Mike Okiro, to use his expertise to stop the proposed transfer in the interest of the unity of the country.
In a related development, Ndi-Igbo Voice, condemned the on-going personal and vociferous attacks on the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, by some groups and individuals without relevant anti-grant agencies concluding their investigation.
Source: National Mirror
