The Abia State Police Command has said that the armed security men who were seen in a viral video assaulting a lady and her brother at Okigwe on Monday were not police officers but community vigilante operatives.
The Command made the statement in reaction to the outrage in Abia and Imo States because of the assault on two bus passengers who were heading towards Abia State University, Uturu.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka, who issued a statement Monday evening, said that Okigwe is not under the jurisdiction of the Abia State Police Command.
She noted that the armed men who carried out the assault are not officers of the Abia State Police Command but vigilante operatives whom she said have already been apprehended.
“Preliminary findings, as well as information from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) covering the area in Imo State, affirm that the individuals involved are not police officers but members of a community vigilante group.
“The DPO has visited the scene of the incident, and the suspects have been apprehended. Investigation is ongoing, and we await an official statement from the Imo State Command,” DSP Chinaka said.
The Abia State Police Command explained that officers under the command of CP Wilfred Afolabi are disciplined but emphasised that any officer found wanting in conduct or discipline will not be spared appropriate disciplinary action.
It further urged content creators and other members of the public to always verify information before sharing it to avoid spreading false or misleading claims.
Abia: Security personnel who assaulted students in Okigwe not our officers – Police