The Imo State Police Command has dismissed seven policemen found guilty of police brutality, harassment, extortion, illegal checking of phones and flagrant disobedience to the directives of the Inspector-General of Police on extortion and incivility to members of the public.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Command, Mike Abattam said the ex-officers have also been charged to court and gave their names as F/No. 462315 Sgt. Ohakim Chibuzo, F/No. 505455 Sgt. Irome Finian, F/No. 505592 Sgt. George Osueke, F/No. 511966 Cpl. Kelechi Onuegbu, F/No. 512320 Cpl. Nwagoro Isdore, F/No. 528165 PC Nwadike Stephen and F/No. 528156 PC Ihemtuge Plastidus.
He further disclosed that the ex-policemen were arrested on November 8, 2022 in a bank at Umuahia, Abia State, in the course of performing illegal duty outside their jurisdiction and conspiracy to extort money from an innocent victim.
They were defaulted, tried and found guilty of the charges leveled against them, and were summarily dismissed and charged to Magistrate Court, Owerri with Charge Sheet Number: No. OW/746C/2022, the police spokesman said.
Abattam said the Commissioner of Police in the state has directed all Area Commanders, Heads of Departments (HODs), Divisional Police Officers (DPO) and Tactical Teams Commanders of the various units in the Command to ensure their subordinates are warned against indulging in sharp practices as any Police Officer found complicit will be made to face disciplinary actions.
Furthermore, he directed the officers in charge of the Inspector-General of Police X-Squad Unit and the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit to commence high-level monitoring of the police officers within and outside the metropolis in order to forestall any unprofessional conduct by police officers.
