Asaba monarch alleges Abuja police invasion of kingdom, others

The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has raised concern over the incessant invasion of the Asaba kingdom by the Police from Abuja to arrest his subjects over land matters in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The monarch said it is a disturbing phenomenon and unprofessional for Police personnel to come from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to effect arrest of anybody in the state without recourse to due process.

Expressing disappointment that the Police could act against the rules in this modern world, the monarch urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to wade into the matter and caution his men to follow the chain of command in policing the nation.

He lamented, “I know there is a chain of command in the Police Force, from Area Commands to Headquarters, and then AIG zones. But a situation where incessantly officers come all the way from Abuja for land disputes and land matters to the extent of taking our men and women to Abuja without passing through the chains of command is unprofessional.

“Another concern is the issue of drugs that have become unbearable and uncontrollable in the state, particularly in Asaba, the state capital.

“We cannot hazard any guess, but given your expertise, you will be able to direct appropriately how to reduce the burden of drugs in Asaba because it leads to crime and criminalities, and that is not good enough for our image.

“Another issue that is disturbing us is the Yahoo, Yahoo-Yahoo and Yahoo Plus. It haunts the image of Asaba dearly, for it to be said openly that Asaba is now the headquarters of Yahoo Yahoo. We want to be headquarters of better-known and better-valued events than Yahoo Yahoo.”

The Asagba also tasked the IGP to wade into the issue of drug abuse, which according to him, is currently unbearable in Asaba, now known as drugs infested community.

Obi Azinge, however, assured of a robust partnership with the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda, for peace to reign in the state, even as he commended the IGP for bringing peace to troubled areas in the country.

Earlier, the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun who said he was in the palace for royal blessings, congratulated the Asagba for his cooperation with the Police Force, which he said has brought about peace in the state.

The numero uno police officer in the country said, “The community issues are being solved promptly because we have adopted the community policing strategies.”

The IGP, who earlier commissioned the Police Officers Mess at the Police Headquarters, saluted the gallant officers for the arrest of hordes of deadly criminals, who reportedly murdered over nine policemen in Delta State.

He said the Police, against all odds, teamed up together to chase the suspected criminal into the forest and gave them a good fight until they were arrested with their weapons to face the law.

The Police boss also applauded the command for its professionalism in policing the state, saying, “Our template is to fish out any criminal from their hiding place, arrest them to face the law.”