Biafra: IGP Speaks Tough; Orders South East Police Formations To Resist Unlawful Protest

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015

By Niyi Adeyi

The Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Mr. Solomon Arase has warned the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) “activists” to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law.

The warning, the Police boss said followed the observation of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) leadership of the increasing resort to acts of brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who he accused were apparently hiding under the cloaks of the agitating bodies – MASSOB and IPOB to threaten the national security and public peace in parts of South East geopolitical Zone and “some other conterminous States”.

The Force Public Relations Officer, AG. ACP Olabisi Kolawole, said in a statement issued Wednesday that the latest manifestation of this threat was the attempt to blockade the Onitsha end of Niger Bridge on December 1, 2015, an action which occasioned major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists and citizens. The act NPF added resulted to serious dislocation of business activities.

Arase noted 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”. IGP declared.

With the ongoing trend, the Police boss stressed that the mandate shall be fully executed in the overriding interests of the nation and vast majority of citizens and residents of the South East geopolitical Zone.

In the light of ongoing, the statement said the IGP has directed the mobilization and deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) across the country to reinforce security in the State Commands that MASSOB and IPOB were currently attempting to utilize as launching pad for their sinister intentions, indicating that 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” the statement warned.

Mr. Arase restated that no individual or group interest could override the interest of the nation while democratic values provide for exploration of rule of law to advance any concern, instead of resorting to endless and misguided acts of brigandage, unless there was an ulterior motive as the extant instance tended to dictate.