How police invasion of NSCDC Imo command left one dead, others injured

The reported invasion of Imo state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Monday, has left one of the officers dead while the the commandant was manhandled and dragged out in his boxers.

It was gathered that the heavily armed men of the Squadron-18 Mobile Police, Owerri, who attacked the personnel of the state NSCDC boss alongside his officers in what observers described as a commando attack shot sporadically, forcing residents of the area to scamper for their safety.

Blueprint also learnt that a heated argument ensued between the driver of the NSCDC boss and a police officer in mufti, who blocked the exit way of the commandan’s entourage, who were returning from Abacheke, the bunkering site where scores were burnt to death in Egbema, with his mercedes benz car.

A Civil Defence office who gave his name only as Ikechukwu explained that ” when asked by the commandants’s security escorts to move aside, the police officer who was not on 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 who unknown to the the men of the Corps, put a call through to his colleagues who mobised to the command’s headquarter, while he followed the entourage to Owerri.

“On reaching the Corps’s office , while the commandant made to enter the command , the man blocked the NSCDC boss , broke 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.

Another officer told newsmen that “After he was released, he returned with heavily armed enraged Mopol men who went into chaos beating , shooting and attacking both officers and their facilities at the premises.

In the process, when the commandant , Mr Ogar, who was already in his office rushed out to address the situation on hearing the gunshots, the enraged officers attacked, beat him up with his uniform torn , after which he was stripped down to his boxers , before being whisked away.

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

The enraged mopol police officers who threatened to shoot at the state commandant , reportedly boasted that “nothing will happen since they (NSCDC) failed to learn from their lesson in previous attacks where nothing came out of it. He even announced that all their officers who lunched previous attacks were back to their stations and walking freely on the streets.

In a telephone conversation with a resident who pleaded anonymity, said, “The invading police officers ought to have chosen a more civilized approach in resolving whatever was the issue, instead of taking laws into their hands. I expect the State Commissioner of Police to fish out the fellows that attacked the NSCDC Headquarters and punish them appropriately.”