The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the dismantling of illegal blockades along federal and state roads in Cross River State in Southern Nigeria.
The State Police Commissioner, Sikiru Akande disclosed to newsmen in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State that the order was in line with the new policing vision and crime fighting strategies of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
Akande said, “I have given a matching order to all my DPOs – Divisional Police Officers – to dismantle all roadblocks that exist within their area of responsibility. No policeman should be seen conducting roadblocks, if there is anything, the police will respond tactically.”
He advised motorists to be careful and watchful while driving to avoid running into the hands of miscreants.
“Any roadblock that you do not see a police vehicle stationed with more than Seven officers do not stop. If the police men are not more than seven on any federal road, please do not stop because that blocked road is illegal,” stated Akande.
Boosting security
The Commissioner, who noted that the police was undaunted in its task of securing the State, said the force was prepared to go to any length to stem the tide of attacks on security agents.
He further cautioned, “the command is not unmindful of the recent security upsurge nationwide with pockets of criminalities in our state, which calls for outright boost of the internal security architecture to curb criminalities at all cost.”
The Police Commissioner outlined other achievements so far recorded by the command to include arrest of 30 suspected persons for various crimes, recovery of a locally made double barrel shotgun, two live cartridges, one black Prado SUV, a white Mercedes Benz 350, One Nissan Sentra, computers, TV monitors, and other household items.
He urged the public to maximally use the whistle blowing opportunity to expose all criminal elements operating in their domain. He also appeal to the public to join hands with the police and other security agencies to fight crime to the barest minimum.
Dominica Nwabufo
