- – As Nwadike, Others Urge New CP To Disband Tiger Base, Ebubeagu
Following the recent redeployment of the former Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command, Mohammed Barde against the wish of the Governor, Hope Uzodinma who, an insider source said, had lobbied the Police high command to allow him remain in Imo till after the November, 11, Governorship election, Imolites are jubilating and heaving sigh of relief.
A member of the Governor’s kitchen cabinet who pleaded anonymity said, ‘’it is quite unfortunate that despite Governor Uzodinma’s frantic efforts to ensure that CP Barde to remains in the state till after the November, 11, Governorship election, his request was not granted. Hence Barde was redeployed by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who replaced him with Stephen Olanrewaju’’.
It was also gathered that, ‘’despite the redeployment of Barde, the former Commissioner of Police in Imo State, is still in the eye of the storm. This is because, unlike some of his colleagues who were redeployed to other state Police Commands as Commissioners, Barde has not been posted to any police command because, he is said to be under investigation for the role he allegedly played in the messy and controversial conduct of the 2023 election in Adamawa State, where he went for election duties. His conduct during the election at Adamawa State, actions and inactions reportedly projected the police force and the country at large in bad light. Some Imolites who commented on the development described the exit of Mohammed Barde from Imo State, ‘’ as good riddance to bad rubbish’’.
According to them, ‘’Imo State under Barde as CP, witnessed the height of impunity. The state experienced the climax of extra judicial killings, unlawful arrests, detentions and inexplicable disappearance of innocent people without trace’’.
One of those who spoke to this Reporter, Comrade Precious Nwadike, Chairman, Board of Trustees of Orluzurumee Youth Assembly and Labour Party candidate for Orlu State Constituency posited that, ‘’Orlu is boiling today because, as Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Barde, stayed aloof while Ebubeagu and some agents of the government, perpetrated all kinds of heinous crimes and unleashed mayhem on the people.
“Even when the Inspector General of Police, directed that no unconventional security outfit should carry arms or be seen within the vicinity of polling booths during the last elections, the directive was not implemented in Imo State. Hence, today, it has come to a point that every young person in Orlu and environ is a potential victim of extra judicial killing, unlawful arrest and detention’’.
Nwadike, called on the new Commissioner of Police in Imo State to as quickly as possible disband the Tiger Base unit of the State Police Command, which he said, has become something else.
He also urged the CP to set up a panel to investigate the activities of the unit and ascertain what has been going on there. This, according to him, is necessary to redeem the image of the police and policing in Imo State.
Also speaking, Chief Fredrick Anyasoro, a security consultant in Imo State, while narrating his experience in the hands of operatives of the dreaded Tiger Base ‘’a lawyer who came for the release of his client was also arrested and detained.
He narrated how some persons who were arrested for a civil matter were made to pay between #150,000 and #400, 000 for their release.
This, he said, is the height of fraud, insensitivity and daylight robbery that should not be allowed to continue.
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