By Austin Ogwuda
FOLLOWING the minor shake up announced by the Police high command in Abuja, CP Olatunji Disu, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, is now redeployed to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
His redeployment to Abuja, as the new substantive Police Commissioner was contained in a Signal on Tuesday, September 18, 2024 as approved by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Also, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda has been redeployed and will be taking over the Rivers Command while FCT CP, Peter Opara will resume duties in Delta State as the new Commissioner of Police.
The new postings, according to the Police authorities, are part of ongoing efforts to restructure the Police Force and boost security in Nigeria.
Recall that CP Olufemi Abaniwobda now transfered out of Delta State was deployed to Delta State Command in the first week of February this year.
Abaniwonda who took over from Wale Abass by all standards – his intimidating credentials coupled with his eloquence and comportment he stands out as a fine and dutiful Officer.
Upon his assumption of officer he threatened that as a new sheriff in town he would send criminals packing from the State with immediate effect and alacrity.
And apart from his avowed promise while talking tough to deal decisively with criminals under his watch, he also sternly warned his officers and men to repent and stop collecting ‘egunje’ ( bribe) in whatever circumstance or be boothed.
There came on the 14th of February 2024, same month he resumed a Divisional Crime Officer DCO, thinking it was still business as usual wanted to taste his new oga resolve was caught in an alleged extortion scandal.
The Townhall reported same, thus:
The newly posted Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Nigeria, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi has ordered the immediate removal of a Police Superintendent of Police, SP from his station at Abraka over alleged extortion of N2.4 million.
Although details were not provided as to the circumstances and the identity of the victim, the Delta State Police command’s spokesman, Bright Edafe issued a press release Wednesday, in respect of the incident.
The statement reads, “Following the reported case of extortion of the sum of Two Million, four hundred and sixty-five thousand naira (N2,465,000) by the DCO 2 Abraka Division, the Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Abaniwonda Olufemi on receipt of this disturbing report directed the DPO Abraka to report at the headquarters alongside the DCO 2 SP Ibrahim Ishaku.
“The CP after getting brief of the disturbing incident immediately ordered the removal of the DCO 2 SP Ibrahim Ishaku with immediate effect and the officer issued a query for misconduct.
“The Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Abiniwonda reiterates that the Command under his watch will deal decisively with any recalcitrant officer who carries out any form of misconduct, extortion, or incivility to members of the public and assures the public of the readiness of the Command under his watch to deal decisively with any erring officer while hoping that this will serve a deterrent to others.
“He (CP)assures members of the public that no officer found wanting will be spared noting that serving the people of Delta state with honesty and strict adherence to their human rights remains a top priority of the Command”, the statement added.
The CP scored on that point but did he score other areas, will form part two of this write up in the future.
But before then, can residents in Delta State be proud to say that they enjoyed a peaceful and robust policing during his brief seven months stay here in Delta?
Indeed, several criminal suspects were either neutralised or arrested during his stay but, there was still, a huge gap certainly.
There were hues and cries every where pointing to rising insecurity in the State, even though the Command’s spokesman Bright Edafe a Superintendent of Police laboured tirelessly to dismiss the claims but it was like a pregnant woman with protruding stomach who is shouting or denying that she is not pregnant and still a virgin.
The Red Flags prior to the transfer of CP Abaniwonda
On 25th of March 2024
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase called for the removal of any Police Commissioner where the Command is experiencing wave of killing of Police officers.
Arase, in a statement, clearly questioned the competence of the Commissioners of Police in Delta and Imo States, following a wave of assaults against Police officers under their control.
According to him, “The killings in some States across the nation has become worrisome; we call on the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to take another look on the capacity of State command leadership in the country.
“There must be consequences for these avoidable incidents. Any State Commissioner of Police found incompetent, derelict, and operationally/tactically porous should be eased out to avoid these huge Police casualties”, the statement added.
The kidnap of Joan Onyemaechi CP Abaniwonda will never forget
On the 30th of August 2024 came the shocking news about the abduction of a top female politician in Delta State, Hon Joan Onyemaechi aka Ada Anioma from King Jesus & I Ministry in a broad day light in Asaba.
That particular incident definitely, is what the outgoing CP will never forget in a hurry. He had sleepless nights.
In fact the incident shook CP Abaniwonda; he actually witnessed ‘wonders’ and was honest enough to confess it while breaking silence on the said kidnap.
CP Abaniwonda told The Guardian newspaper in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria in an exclusive interview that Ada Anioma was released in Bayelsa State, 10 days after she was abducted from King Jesus & I Church in Asaba, Delta, where she is the General Overseer.
His words, “she was released by her abductors because there was too much pressure from the security personnel and aside the pressure, the identities of Ada Anioma’s abductors and their location were also known; and based on that they (abductors) didn’t have any option than to hands up and release their victim.
“We have wrong information and our assessment was that they will follow the usual way to the bush but they carried out their operations in a hurry, then, left through the waterside and burned their vehicle.
“When you have these kind of breaches, what is important is the way you respond, the way you are able to bring the perpetrators to book.
“Yes, it was well planned. They had a get away vehicle waiting, get away boat waiting and they know the location of the security and did everything to avoid the security points within the State”, he stated.
That confirmed that he was really jolted by that particular incident that cannot be forgotten in a hurry. But this Reporter thumbs up for him for openly confessing that the kidnappers caught them (Police) napping.
What a sincere confession!
