CP warns policemen against arrest by proxy

ABA —  Abia State Commissioner of Police, Ambrose Aisabor, has warned policemen under his command against arrest of persons by proxy.

Aisabor, who made the call during a  tour of the Mobile Police (MOPOL) 55 Squadron, Osisioma, near Aba, weekend, said that it was unlawful to arrest an innocent person in lieu of a suspect.

He said: “It is against the law of natural justice for a wife, for instance, to be arrested when the husband who committed an offence could not be found. Policemen should stop arresting people by proxy.

“A situation whereby policemen do not see a person that committed an offence and instead go to arrest a relation of the suspect should stop because this is unlawful.”

He advised the police to exercise patience and wait till the actual person that committed an offence would surface and be apprehended than arrest an innocent relation.

Aisabor said the scenario might have been the order in the past, but with the reform in the police initiated by I-G Mohammed Abubakar, it had become an offence for any policeman to do that.

He warned policemen against misuse of firearms and to guard against accidental discharge.

The CP said that it was an offence for any policeman to take his firearm to his home after work.

Mr Wilson Dankwano, the Commander of the squadron, said  the base was established at the peak of the kidnap saga in Aba in 2008 and was able to fight the hoodlums.

He said that recently, his men on routine stop and search recovered sophisticated weapons at Ubakala junction near Umuahia and that the squadron was instrumental to the reduction of crime wave in Aba.

He urged the CP to establish a school at the base which was one of the major problems facing the squadron.

Mr Frank Evserin, Vice Chairman, Abia Police community Relations Committee (PCRC), commended the commissioner for his efforts since he was posted to the state.