By Chris Nomjov
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, has ordered the withdrawal of members of the special squad of the Rivers State Police Command known as C4I from any political appointee.
Ogunsakin said the directive became necessary after allegations that the members of the C4I police unit were being used for a plot to frame some individuals. He also instructed that the C4I Unit of the Department of Operations must not make any deployment without the knowledge of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature.
It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party in the state had raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress in connivance with the C4I to frame some individuals
Ogunsakin, who spoke through a statement on Sunday, argued that the withdrawal of members of the police unit would make more policemen be available to provide security during the forthcoming elections.
“The C4I Unit of the Department of Operations must continue to operate as a formation of the Rivers State Police Command and in that light must not take any action or make any deployment without the knowledge of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command
“The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command and other Commissioners of Police in-charge Akwa-Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi to immediately withdraw all officers attached to political appointees in line with the directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police.
“This is premised on the fact that the Inspector-General of Police has withdrawn all previous approvals issued by him as more men are needed by the Police Commands during this electioneering period.
“Anyone desirous of police security should re-apply to the Commissioner of Police for a re-consideration based on the merit of his application and the need for deployment of policemen during the forthcoming elections,” he said.
Speaking further on the operations of the C4I, Ogunsakin warned that members of the C4I squa.d trained in Israel should on no account be posted to any political appointee or very important personalities.
