The acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has charged policemen serving in the Southeast region to deal ruthlessly with criminal elements and secessionists that may attempt to take the risk of testing their will.
He also said the policemen must be firm with criminal elements that may be threatening the citizens within their area of jurisdiction
According to him, “The Zone in recent years has been witnessing increasing cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and communal violence. This trend has of late been laced with inter-ethnic intolerance and separatist agitation as championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The separatist agenda of this group has assumed an armed dimension in which important political and community leaders as well as personnel and assets of the Nigeria Police, Military and other security agencies are being constantly targeted in clearly well-coordinated, premeditated violent attacks in the region.
“Aside this, the deepening inter-ethnic prejudice and intolerance in the region is also occasioning unjustifiable inter-ethnic violence and counter-violence. Apart from the massive loss of property and fatalities to lives, the violent campaigns are beginning to have damaging effect on the socio-economic development of the region.
