The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, has announced plans to activate the Command’s X-Squad to check police misconduct, following complaints raised by youths and other stakeholders in Osisioma Ngwa.
Afolabi made this known on Thursday, during a security sensitisation programme organised under the Community Safety Partnership Initiative to strengthen police-community relations and promote collective action against crime.
Participants expressed concerns over alleged extortion by police officers, improper dressing, demands for money for bail and investigations, profiling of youths based on appearance, factory-fitted tinted vehicle windows and inadequate patrol vehicles.
In response, the commissioner said the X-Squad would monitor officers at various duty posts and address cases of misconduct.
He warned that both those who offer bribes and those who accept them were culpable, urging residents to report unprofessional conduct through his contact line and that of the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
While advising youths to dress responsibly, Afolabi cautioned officers against judging people as criminals based solely on their appearance.
He also urged residents to obey the law, maintain cordial relationships with their neighbours and adopt basic security measures, including the use of wheel locks, pedal locks and vehicle trackers.
The commissioner encouraged the public to keep security contacts accessible and provide credible information to the Police to support crime prevention.
In a related engagement, Afolabi paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Osisioma Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, Chidi Nkoro, seeking the traditional institution’s continued support for intelligence gathering and information sharing.
Nkoro, accompanied by other traditional rulers and members of his cabinet, welcomed the commissioner and his entourage, offered prayers and assured the Command of their continued cooperation in maintaining peace and security.
Afolabi also visited Chief Sir Leo Okoye, KSGG, Uduakomiri of Aba, to express condolences over the death of his wife, Lady Nneoma Okoye.
He conveyed the Command’s sympathy to the bereaved family and prayed for strength and comfort for them.
The engagements underscore the Command’s efforts to promote police accountability, strengthen community partnerships and improve public confidence in security institutions across Abia State.
The engagement attracted youth groups, traders, transport unions, members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), the Mayor and other community stakeholders.
