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U-Report: “Equip, Motivate Police” CD Advises South-East Governors

 

Report By: Campaign For Democracy South-East Publicity Arm

 

The Campaign for Democracy (CD), South-East Region has urged South-east governors to motivate and provide operational vehicles for the various specialized police formations within the zone.

 

``It is been observed that special anti-robbery squads and other crack teams of the police within the zone have no logistic vehicles and incentive to facilitate their work,’’ CD said in a statement.

 

The statement, which was issued by CD to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra on Friday, was signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor, Chairman, CD South-East Region.

 

The statement said that there is a dire need for financial and work-place incentives for individual police in these special squads and teams to perform optimally.

 

It said that with the huge security vault accruing to the state governors in the South-East as the chief security officers of the zone; these money must be judiciously used to better secure the zone.

 

``In Anambra, although the government had donated hundreds of vehicles to different police divisional headquarters in the state; but none had been given to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); IG Anti-Terrorist Squad and crack teams operating within the state.

 

``For example, in the headquarters of SARS in Awkuzu; our findings indicate that the headquarters only have two operational vehicles – 032 and 033.

 

``And the SARS command had lost over 30 officers and men between 2009 till date during official duties; while the IG Terrorist Squad lost five men who were ambushed by a gang of bandits on 21^st June, 2012 at Okija in Ihiala LGA.

 

``The families of these young officers, who died protecting the state, had not been compensated either by the police or Anambra State government,’’ it said.

 

It further urged Anambra state governor, who had allegedly been receiving over N500 million monthly as security vault, to do more to encourage the police especially the SARS and the Anti-Terrorist Squad doing more to trackdown criminals and kidnappers in the state.

 

``These group of gallant officers had worked to track-down the notorious kidnap syndicate operating within the Onitsha-Owerri road axis of Anambra State, especially the popular Ofeakwu and his lieutenants,’’ it said.

 

It said that in Imo State, Gov. Rochas Okorocha had performed credibly by reducing his security vault from N6.5 billion to N2.5 annually; while still maintaining a security tight state.

 

``We commend your courage and effort in channeling the remaining N4 billion to education and welfare of the people of Imo.

 

``However, we want the governor to check the excesses of vigilante groups especially as its bothers on human rights violations and intimidation,’’ it said.

 

The statement also called on Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia to check the proliferation of fire arms among wealthy individuals and vigilante groups; which is currently posing serious security challenge to the state.

 

``In Enugu and Ebonyi, where government officials are been kidnapped daily; the governors had to set-up by mobilizing and equipping the police and other security outfits,’’ it said.