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Embattled Suleiman Balarabe Removed As Enugu Police Commissioner, Replaced By Ahmad Abdulrahman

The Oasis Reporters

September 1, 2019

Nigeria’s Inspector General Of Police, Mohammed Adamu

Activities of kidnappers and murderers that the police in Enugu state seemed helpless in curbing has cost the State Police Commissioner, Sulaiman Balarabe his position.

Enugu Police Command: Sulaiman (left), Out. Abdulrahman, In.

Events came to a head with the brutal assassination of a Catholic priest and the brutal murder of a woman, Mrs Pat Ngwu, also identified as Mama Chinagorom in a farmland at Nchatancha in Eke Obinagu community, Emene, Enugu East LGA. Enugu State Catholic priests were joined by sympathizers as they protested in a march round Enugu.

An embarrassed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi promptly called for the establishment of Vigilante checkpoints in all local governments to ensure adequate security operations in their localities.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, UK equally described the murders as sacrilegious.
This was contained in a Press statement that The Oasis Reporters obtained, signed by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, UK President, Dr Nnanna Igwe.

The statement read that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK is profoundly appalled by the report of rape and murder of a pregnant woman in Nike Enugu by Fulani Herdsmen”, although the statement did not state whether the culprits had been arrested as to note their ethnic identity.

“There are numerous other reports of killings, rape, kidnapping and farm land destruction which abound. These actions are unacceptable and anti-democratic.

‘This is a heinous crime and therefore we totally and unreservedly condemn the killing and other such killings in Igboland in strongest terms.

“We state without equivocation that Igbo lives matter and must be respected. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our people. We are consulting widely and coordinating robustly to ensure peace and unity amongst our people to speak with one voice against oppression of Ndigbo in Nigeria.

“The international community is urged to investigate the terrible and terrorising actions of the herdsmen in Nigeria and prevail on the Federal Government to STOP the nefarious activism and the sponsors prosecuted with full weight of the international law.

Ndigbo must unite in-house in order to confront our common external enemy.

May the souls of Ndigbo and other Nigerians murdered by herdsmen rest in peace.

God bless Ndigbo worldwide”, it went on to say, concluding the statement.

“Insecurity in Enugu state has taken a new dimension and the police has to show cause why the command has been unable to secure Enugu residents” a circulated statement read, and went on to say that “the commissioner of police Enugu state, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe has the mandate to step up the security to protect our people.

The police commissioner seems not to have done enough since coming to the state early this year. We can no longer continue this way. The police and other security agencies are paid with public funds to protect us. What excuse does the police have for the continued killing of our people?”, as the protesters demanded the sacking of the state police commissioner immediately, calling on the Inspector General of Police to redeploy Mr Suleiman Balarabe “as it seems he has no better plan to curb the growing insecurity in the state.”

An eruption of Protests by angry residents had also followed the killings, calls were made for the redeployment of the commissioner of police, Enugu state.

“It seems the police has abandoned the governor, who has taken it upon himself in the last few weeks providing logistics including employing forest guards and clearing the forests identified as hideouts and camps of these heartless murderer.

Our people will be forced to protect themselves if the security agencies that have the constitutional mandate to protect us watch helplessly while the hoodlums continue to have their way”, ending yet another statement, published by AIF Media.

In the face of the seeming erosion of confidence in the police to secure Enugu state,the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, ordered the immediate posting of Mr Ahmad Abdulrahman to Enugu State Command as the new Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the state.

A statement on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, says the posting is with immediate effect.

Mr Abdulrahman takes over from Mr Suleiman Balarabe, who has been redeployed to the Force Intelligence Bureau, FCID, Abuja, as the CP in-charge of Intelligence.

According to Mba, the new police commissioner in Enugu was until his recent posting, the CP in charge of Intelligence at the FCID, Abuja.

He has held many command positions across the Federation and his posting as the CP Enugu State was predicated upon his action-oriented approach to work, his track record of outstanding leadership and interpersonal relations, the Force Public Relations Officer noted.

The IGP asked Mr Abdulrahman to bring to bear his wealth of experience, leveraging the Force policy on community policing and intelligence-driven crime-fighting strategies towards overhauling the security architecture of the coal-rich state.

He also urged the people of the state to partner with the police and accord the new police commissioner maximum cooperation in his efforts at revamping the security situation in the state.

Mr Abdulrahman holds double Masters Degrees – one in Criminal Justice and another in Conflict, Peace & Strategic Studies, both from the Kaduna State University.

He is a graduate of Political Science and Administration from the University of Sokoto and holds a post-graduate certificate in Corruption Studies from the University of Hong Kong, according to a Channels TV report.

Greg Abolo

Blogger at The Oasis Reporters.

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