Former Plateau Police boss Anyating in ‘corrective section’
Until recently, no fewer than seven CP’s were redeployed in similar circumstances. They are Messrs Mohammed Sambo, Christopher Dega, Innocent Ilozuoke, Joseph Apapa, Kevin Okpoke, Richard Chime and Kayode Ibironke. Anyating’s trouble started when he was reported to have said that the crisis in Jos was sparked off when some Muslim youths, without any provocation, […]
Until recently, no fewer than seven CP’s were redeployed in similar circumstances. They are Messrs Mohammed Sambo, Christopher Dega, Innocent Ilozuoke, Joseph Apapa, Kevin Okpoke, Richard Chime and Kayode Ibironke.
Anyating’s trouble started when he was reported to have said that the crisis in Jos was sparked off when some Muslim youths, without any provocation, attacked Christians going to their place of worship, a statement that was widely criticised as unprofessional and ill-timed by civil society groups.
Anyating, like four other CPs, were recently recalled from state commands due to similar reasons including poor performance.
Former CP of Borno State, Christopher Dega, was redeployed to the department following the Boko Haram uprising in which hundreds of people were killed. Dega was recently posted to another section from the special duties.
While Sambo was recalled from Borno State as CP to the department over an alleged N16 million fraud, he remained in the department until last month when the Police Service Commission (PSC) found him guilty of the offence and dismissed him from service.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Special Department of the police is under the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ogbonna Onovo and all the officers in the section are answerable to the IGP.
He said the IGP could assign responsibilities to the department especially matters that need urgent action and others not directly under any department. “It is a functional department under the IGP,” he added.
The spokesman went on to describe the responsibilities of members of the section that once included an Assistant Inspector General of Police usually being assigned to handle matters such as elections, disaster management and crisis control. But contrary to what Ojukwu said, all the functions of the department are the official schedules of the ‘B’ Department (Operations) including elections, crisis and disaster management.
However, Mr Ojukwu, when asked whether or not the department serves as a punishment ground for policemen, he said “No. officers can be posted to the department, not as punishment but genuine police posting.”