The
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has issued a stern
warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to stop threatening public peace or
face the full weight of the law. The warning followed the observation
by the Nigeria Police Force leadership of the increasing resort to acts
of brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who apparently are hiding
under the cloak of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of
Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to threaten
national security and public peace in parts of South East geopolitical
Zone and some other conterminous States.
The
latest manifestation of this threat is the attempt to blockade the
Onitsha end of Niger Bridge on 1st December, 2015, an action that caused
major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists, and citizens. The
act also occasioned serious dislocation of business activities.
The
Inspector-General of Police notes that the increasing resort to acts of
brigandage of this nature is pointing to a clear attempt by the brains
behind these protests to test the will of security agencies to restore
order and guarantee internal cohesion. For the avoidance of doubts, the
IGP further notes, the restoration and maintenance of law and public
order, and protection of lives and property remain sacred and statutory
Mandate of the Nigeria Police. This Mandate, according to him, shall be
fully executed in the overriding interests of the nation and vast
majority of citizens and residents of the South East geopolitical Zone.
Consequently,
the Inspector-General of Police has directed the mobilisation and
deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) across the country to reinforce
security in the State Commands that MASSOB and IPOB are currently
attempting to utilise as launching pad for their sinister intentions.
The Assistant Inspectors – General of Police Zone 5, (Benin); Zone 6,
(Calabar) and Zone 9 (Umuahia) as well as all Commissioners of Police in
the affected States in the South East and neigbouring States have also
been directed to henceforth maximally exercise their statutory Mandate
in relation to prevention and disruption of any gathering that threatens
public order and national cohesion. Any person or group of persons so
arrested in furtherance to the enforcement of this order will be made to
face the full wrath of the law.
To
this end, the Inspector-General of Police advises parents and guardians
to call their children and wards to order as the patience of the Force
is being stretched to the limit. He firmly affirmed that no individual
or group interest can override the interest of the nation and that
democratic values provide for exploration of rule of law to advance any
concern, not the resort to endless and misguided acts of brigandage,
unless there is an ulterior motive as the extant instance tends to
dictate. He concluded by asserting that the Nigeria Police Force will
not fold its law enforcement arms to allow few misguided elements to
continually force hardships on fellow Nigerians either in the South East
or any other part of the nation for that matter.
Ag. ACP OLABISI KOLAWOLE
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA
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