By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has described agitation for Biafra in Nigeria’s South-East as a mere smokescreen for criminality.

He warned that police will not spare common criminals who are hiding under agitation to attack Anambra people.

Baba spoke on Wednesday in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, during the commissioning of an ultra-modern divisional police station attached to a police barracks for senior police officers of the division.

He said: “The agitation for a separate state by those perpetuating criminal acts in Anambra State and also attacking police operatives and other facilities is a smokescreen for criminality.

“Police will no longer allow such criminals to keep operating in any state in the South East, adding that there are better ways to agitate, than involving in criminality.

“Secessionist idea will not continue like this. There are better ways to agitate, and government will not be intimidated by these people. This is criminality, and the agitation for Biafra is just a smokescreen for criminality.”

The IGP described vigilante operatives as key in crime fighting, saying that the vigilante operatives have done well.

He stressed that without the vigilante operatives, the police will not succeed.

Baba added: “We urge communities to support their vigilante. Security is everybody’s business, security is not keeping quiet when you see what is going wrong, or what you should do.

“We are behind you (Commissioner of Police in Anambra State) to ensure that there is law and order in Anambra. The governor is security friendly, and has always assisted us.

“With the challenges of 2023, we shall provide level playing ground and the environment shall be created for all politicians to exercise their franchise.”

Speaking on the new divisional police station, Baba said that it is an initiative to give police operatives a conducive working environment to enable them give their very best.

“This is one of the projects we have put in place for our officers to have a great place to work and retire into. We need more edifices like this to be able to provide our men with the good environment to work.

“It will provide service for people around here and we will replicate this in other places to ensure that we give our officers the best and in the spirit of federal character, we will continue to do this in places that we can. We have one in Enugu too, which we will commission today,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the State Police Commissioner, Echeng Echeng, described the new division as a milestone in the repositioning of police force for better delivery.

He noted that Anambra has been largely peaceful for ten months despite the actions of criminals masquerading as separatists.

Echeng appealed to the IGP for the mobilisation of armoured tanks to the state to help stabilise the successes that have so far been achieved.

“We are poised to ensure a peaceful yuletide in the state, and the need for more logistics support cannot be over-emphasised,” the Anambra CP said.

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