NIGERIA: IGP bans use of siren (Even by Politicians)

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has ordered the police commissioner in Anambra state,Mr. Bala Nasarawa to arrest any National Assembly member or top politician found using siren in the state.

The IGP handed down the directive in Awka yesterday during a  visit to Zone 9  of the Police.

He also paid visited Governor Peter Obi and had   an interactive session with  traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state at the Governor’s Lodge at Amawbia, near Awka for over five hours.

Abubakar said  Anambra state had the highest concentration of those using siren and declared that his visit to the state was partly to check the  excesses of some  politicians.

Other problems such as  armed robbery and kidnapping,he said,  would soon belong to  the past.

He said many  robbery and kidnapping suspects had already been arrested.

“Kidnapping has been a major source of worry for us in the police in Anambra state especially at Nnewi and its suburbs and that is why we are restructuring our formations in the state and we cannot continue like this for ever”.

“We also have excesses of siren users in Anambra state and we have the capacity to checkmate them,” he said.

During his visit to Gov.Obi he   announced  that 50,000 police men would be proceeding on security re-training soon.

Additional  16,000 police officers would be sent on intelligence training,he said.He   maintained that the ban on road blocks remains.

He noted that 70 percent of the corruption in the police force is associated  with   road blocks adding that anybody arrested would be prosecuted.

 Governor Obi commended the IGP for the reformation of the police since he took over.He said the state gove rnment  had bought over 200 vehicles including Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the state police command.

Obi assured the IG  that the state government would continue to give police adequate support .

Receiving the IG,the  police commissioner, Bala Nasarawa had reeled out a litany of  problems  including  lack of a befitting headquarters. others.

However, he said the police command had been working in tandem with the Nigerian Army, State Security Service (SSS), Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety commission (FRSC) and the state government, among others.

Among those at the traditional rulers’ meeting with Abubakar were  former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, and  Igwe  Chukwuemeka Ike.