Panic Grips Police in Anambra Over Mass Transfer to Boko Haram Prone States

Ignatius Okpara, Awka

Policemen serving in the Anambra State command are now doing their jobs under panic, following the ongoing massive transfer of officers to Boko Haram prone states in North east part of Nigeria.

Members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram have been wrecking havoc on human lives in the north east Nigeria for quite a long time now.

African Examiner gathered on Monday that approval has been given by the police authorities for the transfer of a total of 149 officers from the command to Sokoto, Borno, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Some of the affected officers who do not want to be quoted said the exercise is being done in batches, adding that about 61 officers were in the first batch, while 88 were in the second, which list was released just a week ago.

They described the exercise as punitive, saying it has been observed that only senior police officers of Igbo extraction were mostly affected in the transfer

While admitting that the issue of transfer remains the sole responsibility of the Police Service Commission, PSC, the officers accused the Inspector-General of Police IGP, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, of masterminding the transfer.

One of the officers said: “It is really shocking that the IGP, who may be going on retirement next month, decided to carry out this exercise as a parting gift,”.

He said “i have accepted the transfer, since I don’t have any alternative for now”