Imo: Policemen allegedly beat up NSCDC Commandant

Heavily armed policemen, on Monday, invaded the Imo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and manhandled the state commandant and allegedly killed his orderly.

The NSCDC commandant was dragged out in his boxers and was beaten while several civil defenders were injured in the melee that ensued.

The show of shame happened at the Imo State Command Headquarters, located at the very busy Okigwe Road, along Works Layout in Owerri, the state capital.

LEADERSHIP reports from a very reliable source that the heavily armed men of the Squadron-18 Mobile Police, Owerri, who attacked the personnel of the NSCDC, shot sporadically in the air, forcing residents of the area to scamper for their safety.

Further investigation by our correspondent revealed that trouble started after a heated argument had ensued between the driver of the NSCDC boss and a police officer in a mufti, who blocked the exit way of the commandant’s entourage, which was returning from Abacheke, the oil bunkering site where scores were burnt to death in Egbema.

A Civil Defence officer, who gave his name only as Ikechukwu, explained that “when asked by the commandant’s security escorts to move aside, the police officer who was not in uniform vehemently refused without even disclosing his identity. He was, however, ignored on the commandant’s directive.

“However, rather than go his way, the police officer, unknown to the men of the Corps, put a call through to his colleagues, who mobilised to the command’s headquarters, while he followed the entourage to Owerri.

“On reaching the Corps office, while the commandant made to enter the command, the man blocked the NSCDC boss, brought out a pistol and announced that he was a police officer. On sighting that, he was immediately rounded up and arrested by NSCDC officers who also seized the pistol to avert danger.”