Alleged Looting:
Police, DSS Wade In, Promise To Protect Govt Property
Men of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF and the Directorate of State Security, DSS have developed interest in the allegation of looting of government property in Imo State.
With weeks left for the government of Rochas Okorocha to pack out of Government House, allegations that agents of his administration are renowing property has been flying.
The allegation first started when the PDP and agents of the incoming governor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha raised the alarm that Okorocha’s agent are not only auctioning governmental vehicles but also carting away vital properties.
The height of the allegation increased last week when spirited Imolites stopped moves to cart away iron rods from where it was parked at Heroes Square ground, Owerri, after reports of missing fancy seats at the IICC, Owerri.
Based on the developments, Trumpeta learnt that the Imo police command under the commissioner of police, Rabui Ladrdo moved in by calling a meeting of the PDP, Civil society groups and agents of the government.
According to the details obtained in attendance with the State PDP Secretary, Nze Ray Emeana, Hon. Uche Onyeagocha, Comrade Aku Obidinma AKA Abdul, Lady Majury, Comrade Chibundu Chigbu and some other Comrades for Imo People’s Action for Democracy IPAD.
“The meeting kicked off at about 5:39pm. The Imo CP came across as a very humble, jovial a Police gentleman. He has great respect for civil society and citizen’s participation in governance. He tried everything he could to make us feel free while relating with him.
“The CP kicked off by telling us Situation Report on the incident and the trucks we mobilized and got demobilized and handed over to them. The summary of his briefing were as follows;
“That he has a delicate job of balancing two competing strong positions: not to inhibit the work of a governor who still has a month and some days and secondly to help protect government properties against looting in transition period.
“That he personally got involved to make sure his men guarded and protected the goods and stopping them from further being carted away. He also wanted to know who and for what reasons the rods were being moved to satisfy the curiosity and protect the interest of Imolites.
“That earlier in the day yesterday being 13-04-2019 a renewed effort was made by the office of the outgoing governor to cart away the properties. They were led by the Chief Security Officer of the Government House.
“That he the CP personally stopped them. He asked them where they are moving the Rods to. Behold they claimed it was meant for a project somewhere. He inquired to see the project where the Rods were being moved to. According to him all of them gave a different and contradictory account of where the Rod’s were to be moved to. None of the persons who came to cart way the Iron could give an accurate account, of the government construction site where it was going to be moved. The CP insisted to know and personally inspect where and how the Rods would be delivered to ensure the purpose was genuine and in the overall general interest of Ndi Imo.
“When all the team failed to give a genuine account where they wanted to move the Rods, the smartest of them was the CSO. He put his integrity on the line and told his Boss the Rods were to be moved to a Bridge Construction site at Ogboko.
The CP demanded to personally go with them to see the bridge construction site where the need for the Rods was necessary.
“The CP sacrificed his time to go to Ogboko. At Ogboko it turned out no bridge was under construction. In fact the bridge he saw was already completed double lane. He was shown an Erosion site where they said there was need for the Rods. “Then he met the Governor’s convoy. The Governor joined him and told him he needed only about 5 bundles of the Rods for the erosion work.
“The CP obliged to allow 5 bundles of Rods to be moved and to do so with the full glare of Imolites and other parties on a date to be agreed.
“The CP said on the rest of the Rods, Rochas told him he has no need to move them and that the CP can allow him to move them and help secure them for Imo people at the Government House Owerri. The CP opted and told him he would prefer they remain at the Hero’s Square while his men would give it an all round protection.
“The CP told us he has secured Rochas’s assurance that the Rods will not be moved outside the 3 bundles needed for erosion work at Ogboko.
“The CP solicited our cooperation any time he would call on us to inspect the moving of just 5 bundles. The CP made a solemn promise that as long as he remains the CP, he will give an all round 24 hours protection to the Rods. The CP further enjoined us to be peaceful and not hesitate to call him anytime there was a complaint.
