The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, has dismissed allegations by a skit maker known as Local Man concerning the posting of the governor’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) and the welfare of a deceased police officer who served at Government House, Uyo.
Mr Azare spoke during an interview with ADBN TV published on Facebook on Monday, where he accused the content creator of spreading falsehoods and misrepresenting police procedures.
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CP defends CSO, police procedures
According to the police commissioner, Local Man had, for weeks, criticised police activities at the Akwa Ibom Government House, including the posting of the governor’s CSO, whom the skit maker allegedly claimed should not have occupied the position because she is not from the state.
Mr Azare rejected the claim, stressing that police officers are recruited for national service and can be posted to any part of the country.
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“One thing that we should understand is that a police officer once you’re recruited you are recruited for the 774 local government areas in the country for posting and transfer and the 36 states of the country and the FCT,” he said.
He added that the CSO’s primary responsibility is to coordinate the governor’s security and not to handle welfare matters relating to deceased officers.
“It is not her job. Her primary responsibility is to secure the governor,” Mr Azare said.
The commissioner also dismissed claims that a police officer who died while attached to Government House could not be buried because the CSO failed to inform Governor Umo Eno.
“All these are lies. Why sit down in the comfort of your house and say things that don’t exist?” he asked.
Mr Azare said that after the governor was informed of the officer’s death, he approved N10 million for the family and directed the construction of a ‘compassionate’ home for them.
“The governor approved N10 million, which I am aware of, to the family of that woman and directed the building of a compassionate home,” he said.
Local man insists on allegations
Responding in a Facebook post and video, Local Man denied castigating the police and said his concerns were about the treatment of indigenous police officers working at the Akwa Ibom Government House.
“I’m not castigating the police for doing their jobs. I’m calling out the people who are in certain positions in Government House maltreating Akwa Ibom people,” he said.
The skit maker further alleged that officers of the same rank working at Government House receive different salaries and that officers who hail from Akwa Ibom are treated differently from their counterparts from other states.
He, however, did not provide evidence to support the claims.
Local Man also challenged the police commissioner to provide evidence that the N10 million approved by the governor had been paid to the deceased officer’s family, alleging that only funds contributed by colleagues was received by the family.
State government response
The Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, confirmed to this newspaper that Governor Eno approved the N10 million donation for the family of the deceased police officer.
Mr Umanah said the governor had also released over N8 million for the surgery of another police officer facing a health challenge.
“There are so many things that the government is doing. I don’t know why this particular one is different,” Mr Umanah said.
Asked whether the N10 million approved for the deceased officer’s family had been handed over to the beneficiaries, the commissioner said he would confirm and revert.
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Responding to allegations that indigenous police officers serving at Government House, Uyo, receive lower allowances than colleagues of the same rank from other states, Mr Umanah said the state government neither recruits police officers nor pays their salaries.
“The Nigeria Police recruit and pay officers’ salaries and not the state government. Any officer who is posted anywhere can get an inconvenience allowance.
“These officers are on secondment. So any allowance that is worked out is not for a particular person. It can be different depending on your work and all other benefits,” Mr Umanah said.
