Some civil society organisations (CSOs) across the country have accused the Imo State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Barde, of partisanship and other unprofessional conduct in his line of duty.

In a statement, yesterday, the CSOs demanded his redeployment and investigation for superintending over electoral violence and misconduct during the Adamawa State governorship election.

The CSOs that signed the statement include Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos; Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), Rivers; Better Life Community Initiative (BECOLIN), Imo; International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), Anambra; PMNeighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement (NIWA), Ebonyi, and Initiative for Safety, Security and Educational Development in Nigeria Network, Enugu.

Others are Foundation For Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), Abia; African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention, Lagos; Grassroots Democracy Network, Lagos; African Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), Abia State, and Difference Newspapers, Lagos.

“We, the undersigned CSOs across Nigeria, have noted President Muhammadu Buhari’s commendable directive to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to investigate the role of their officers in aiding and abetting the conduct/actions of Hudu Yunusa Ari, the Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), during the March 18 governorship election,” they stated in the document made available to The Guardian, yesterday, by the Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma.

Buhari, he noted, also ordered that, if found culpable, appropriate disciplinary actions must be meted out to errant officers.

Barde, The Guardian gathered, has been Imo CP since April 2022.

The statement added: “Barde also displayed partisanship during the Presidential and House of Assembly elections in Imo in utter violation of the Standard Operational Guidelines for Law Enforcement Agents on Election Duty.

“That a CP, who was detailed to ensure electoral security in a state could be withdrawn midway from that state, owing to his involvement in electoral crimes and malfeasance, which undermined the process, speaks volumes.”

Accusing Barde of being a hatchet man for the Imo governor, the CSOs noted that some police officers in Imo under Barde had been implicated in several unprofessional and criminal conducts, including harassment, intimidation and attacks on political opposition members.

“They have been involved in framing opposition politicians with false charges with some ending up being remanded over baseless and frivolous allegations of terrorism,” they alleged. (The Guardian)

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